The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-12
Division of Opinion Among
Physicians as to Its Efficacy.
Case Of DIR. Harriet Adams Is
Cited.
RELEASED In TWO DAYS
She Says There Is No Doubt
About Her Case.
How Anti-Toxin Is Prepared
for Use.

A well known Topeka doctor, who OBJ
jects to having his name used because
he says it wouldn't be professional,
says:
There is no diphtheria in Topeka"
The physician went on to say that cases
are sometimes pronounced diphtheria
simply for the purposes of experiment
ing with anti-toxin.
There are no doubt many of the ply
gicianaof Topeka who are at war with the
public declaration of hostilities.
Diphtheria-if that is what it is--has
been unusually fatal in Topeka this fall.
There have been five deaths. The first
was Mrs. Challand in Auburndale. Then
. boy named B. F. Reed died at his
home near Washburn college. A child
Of Rev. Mr.. Thayer in Parkdale died.
A child of W. H. Lininger in Potwin
next succumbed. The last death was a
child in the RObinette family on East
Fourth street. 1t is evident from this
that the contagion is distributed over the
whole city.
The doctor who objects to the anti
toxin treatment went on to say:
Anti-toxin is worse than vaccination,
and vaccination is bad enough. Does it
look reasonable that to cure diphtheria
the patient should have his system in
oculated with the most violent kind of
diphtheria germs from a horse? It's no
wonder that patients die under this kind
of treatment Anti-toxin is a fad Just
Ike some other things have been bads
and have now died out. Anti-toxin
treatment is more deadly than bleeding,
or dosing with mercury, both of which
methods of treatment have been abol-
ished
Last Sunday a very estimable lady Of
this city who is practicing physician,
was taken sick. 1t was decided to quar-
antine the case as diphtheria On Tuesday
the quarantine was raised, and the lady
was released as entirely cured. Who
ever heard of 0fn6fhPria heinz in
two days, and all danger of infection re-
moved? Most patients who are taken
IN quarantine for weeks, but the doctors
knew that this lady did not have diph-
iberia, and she was promptly released as
soon as she recovered from her slight
touch of diphtheretic sore throat"
The lady referred to is Dr. Harriet Ad-
ans. who lives at Fifteenth and Warren
streets. DR.. Adams was seen today by a
reporter for the State Journal and said:
Il had diphtheria-there is no question
about it. A microscopic test proved this.
But in my case the anti-toxin was ad-
ministeIYd within is hours after the first
traces or the disease appeared, and it was
only a matter of few hours until my
throat was entirely cleared"
Anti-toxin' the bottom Of the whole con
troverSy, IS prepared as follows: A morse
Is given a small hypodermic injection of
diphtheria germs and manifests symp-
toms of the disease. After these Symp-
toms pass away the animal is given an
other larger injection. This is continued
from daV to dav until the horse is taking
very large doses of diphtheria without pro-
ducing any apparent effect. The horse is
then supposed to be immune" Several
gallons of the horses blood are drawn out
of the jugular vein and it is small quanti-
ties of this blood which is injected into
the, veins of the human being TO cure
diphtheria
The theory is that the blood of the
horse is filed with germs which counter
act the effect of the diphtheria germs and
that these anti-diphtheria germs multiply
in the human being and drive the diph-
iberia out of the system. The theory is
all right. and the friends of the system
claim that it will work They say thar
no one has ever died from the effects of
anti-toxin They further claim that when
administered to a diphtheretie patient in
time it is a surg cure ana q Speedy one.