The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-12
By SAMUEL WILLETTS.
Copyright, 1903, by Samuel Willets.

Since their better disappointment
over the failure of Koch's tuberculine
as cure for consumption. in 1891,
medical men has been somewhat con-
sentative about the serum treatment
as a specific for disease. In the sum
mer of the same year, when anti-toxin
was placed before a medical congress
in London as specific for diphtheria,
it was scoffed at by eminent skeptics.
1t took three years to get this discov-
cry beyond the experimental stage into
the clinics, but no one now disputes its
efficacy.
The greatest discovery in the field
of medical science since that time has
been the scarlet fever serum, or anti
streptococcus, as the doctors call it.
True a Japanese student in Berlin, DR..
Kitsato, has dropped in during the in
terval with his serum for lockjaw, and
! it has proved as successful in its re-
suits as anti-toXin for diphtheria; but
it does not compare in Importance with
serum cure for diphtheria or for scar
let fever.
American Experiments Successful.
The scarlet fever serum, like the Sc
by Berlin medical scientists. The
Marmornek scarlet fever serum was
| experimental with seven years ago,
and found wanting. Some of 1t
was sent to America and experiments
made with it by DR.. Louis Fischer of
the Willard Parker and Riverside Hos
pitfalls, New York city, associated with
other physicians, for the benefit of the
New York Board of Health. The Sc
as diSAnn0lnt-
ing as Koch's tuberculine. A report
was made to the board that the physi-
clans were not justified In either US
ing or recommending the use of the
scarlet fever serum, and that the in
discriminate sale of it should be pro-
hibited until clinical experience estab-
lished its true therapeutic value.
Now there is a different tale to tell.
Within the past few weeks a higher
| development of the scarlet fever Sc
rum has been experimental with by
DR.. Fischer, and with unqualified sue
| cess.
THE result" said DR.. Fischer. in
an interview, takes the scarlet fever
serum out of the experimental and
puts it into the clinical stage. 1t
proves in my opinion and in the opin
ion of many other medical men of my
acquaintance, that the serum cure is
the therapeutic agent of the future.
1t is a triumph for the prophylactic
tendency of modern medicine-that Is,
a tendency to prevent disease rather
than to cure it.
In a very short time I firmly be-
lieve the value of the scarlet fever Sc
rum will be as undisputed as the
diphtheria serum is now. believe
| that it will, be adopted by boards of
| health throughout the country. l have
| tried its effect on two cases, one of
them which appeared to be hopeless,
and the results were all that could be
| desired.
Perhaps, at the Fourteenth Interna-
national Medical Congress, which will
be held at Madrid next May, some of
the Berlin psychologists will tell of
their progress with the serum, and the
world will hear something more of
another great discovery in medical
science. / am going to the congress,
and it is my intention afterward to go
to Berlin and see DR.. Hans Aronson,
with whose serum have been recent
ly experimenting.
How a Serum Works.
"In order to make the subject more
interesting to the lay reader" con-
tinued Dr. Fischer, suppose I give
a brief review of the serum treatment
and the principle that underlies it.
Many years ago Prof. Ehrlich, Of
Berlin, discovered that abrin and ricin,
10th deadly poisons. could be injected
in small and then in increasingly