New-York tribune., 1902-11-09
SERUM FOR SCARLET FEVER
DR.. CHARLTON. OF MONTREAL, DE-
SCRIBES HIS NEW TREATMENT
FOR THE DISEASE.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1RuxE.l


Montreal Nov. S-Dr. George Charlton.
Rockefeller fellow of pathology of McGin Uni
versity, the discoverer Of a serum which has
been successfully used to combat scarlet fever.
has made public a statement in which he says
that il does not cure scarlet fever but its timely
administration in severe cases tends to aIay un-
favorable symptoms. overcomes complications.
and, given at an early stage of the disease, 1t
prevents fatal termination II have for now
close upon two years-tO be exact SINCE Janu-
ary % 1901-been engaged upon a series Of
studies Of cases of scarlet fever admitted to the
Montreal Hospital for Infectious Diseases. and
upon the treatment of the same During the
time in which have been engaged upon this
work III cases of scarlet fever have been
studied bacteriologiCally. Cultures have been
taken from the tonsils and pharynx in all these
cases. and streptococci have been found in sixty
hve. or BOD per cent Of those examined. From
twenty-five Of the severe cases cultures have
been taken from the blood during life relatively
large quantities Of broth being employed for the
purpose In these I found streptococci invart-
ably present when the blood had been obtained
during. the first FIVE days Of the disease"
Streptococcus. however. in the Doctors opin-
ion, is not the essential agent OF the dIsease
Streptococci were not found IN the mild un
complicated cases These cases gave no trou-
bic. and after the asst-0 ae sls sqsssr1 @ssfYe
more than detention in quarantine. He said:
My meteorological studies carried on at the
time when was also observing the cases elm
ically. bred in me the conviction that the strep-
tOcoccus leads to a secondary infection. and that
this secondary streptococcal infection is the
cause Of most, II not ALL OF the unfavorab BILE
complications of the disease. The severity OF
the attack appears 10 be due to the concurrent
or. as Roger employs the term. symbolic action
this nd
of scarlet fever apon the susceptible Individual
much as ii has been noted that streptococcus
infection renders diphtheria more severe though
the i'll effects Of this symbioss in scarlet fever
appear 10 be still more marked
The administration of anti-streptococcus
serum was. therefore, indicated to counteract
the effect of the toxnes of the streptococcus and
TO bring about the destruction OF that organism
For it appeared that if this could be accom-
plished the cases would resolve into a less Sc
we're type and the prognosis would become more
favorable.
so far. since June ~ last. 1 have employed
IT In the treatment of fifteen cases. These cases
were all severe, and the majority of them l
nave no hesitation in saying. under ordinary
| treatment would, IL they had not terminated
FATALLY, at least have suffered from lingering
and troublesome complications. AS il was there
were thirteen prompt recOveries. almost free
from complication. Not of the thirteen has
suftered rrom albuminuria nor from SuppurattVe
otitis media. In all, upon admission 10 the hos
| pital, there was involvement of the cervicaI
glands. but in only two instances did this go on
| to suppuration; the usual termination was by
resolution within forty eight hours after the in
| lection of the serum.
Another interesting feature OF these cases
| was the rapidity with which desquamatipn pro-
ceeded. 1t was usually completed by the thirty
second day of the disease, and thus il fire.
| quently happened that case was discharged
| before milder which had been admitted at
the same time but had not been treated by the
| serum
Two deaths have occurred in this group of
| fifteen cases. One of these patients was in a
dying condition when admitted to the hospital
| and lived only four hours. The other upon ad
mission, was suffering from severe pneumonia,
| and though improving somewhat, succumbed
| five days later 10 an attack of laryngeal diph-
| theria"