The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-02-26
GIVE AID To THE SICK
MAYOR REQUESTS COUNCIL TO
PURCHASE ANTI-T0XIN.
Executive Declares the Prices Charged
For Article Are Outrageous, But
1t Must Be Had in Order That
Epidemic of Diphtheria Shall Not
Deal Death to Children.

IollONlH3 COMMUNICATION " lHc COulcii,
last evening:
Nlankato, Mimi, Feb. 10, l909.-To
| the Honorable City Council Gentle
men: The laws of Minnesota provide
that every local board of health shall
see that those sick with communi-
cable disease (and this includes diph-
thera) are provided with all necessary
medical assistance, medicines, etc Ine
parties cared for are required to pay
for such if able; otherwise the munich
palty Village or township pays the
necessary bills, recovering half the
amount expended from the county
later.
! Anti-toXin is the most important
therapeutic agent in the treatment of
diphthcria, in fact, it should be used in
every case of diphtheria.
Too Much Hesitation.
The relatives of patients, health Of
ficers and physician too often hest
tate and neglect anti-toXin because of
the expense. As a matter of fact the
retail price is outrageous, 900 units
cost s., 5000 units s., 1000 units
$500 5000 units, $50. These prices
are not made by our local druggists,
indeed their profit is very small. The
manufacturer, or the middlcmen reap
the immense proiist of the suffering
communities.
To save life. to protect the schools
and the community anti-toXin must
be used in eases of diphtheria, it is
criminal not TO use it.
Diphthcria has made its appearance
i'll this city in rather malignant
form, and / think | am justified in
saying that we would have II very dis
astrous epidemic, possibly as disastrous
as that of 1889, when the children
of ALankato were more than decimatcd
by death, were it not for anti toxin.
There are many families in Mankato
as these are everywhere, that are
poor but not paupers, If diphtheria en-
ters the household of any one of these
families it is a ycritablc hardship for
said family to purchase anti-toNin. I
will give you IN example. \ family in
the northern part OF the city was
stricken with diphtheria during our
late terrible storm. \ boy of tender
years was attacked with Il malignant
form of diphtherla; the family was
crowded together III small house and
consisted of Il father, mother and eight
children. The father is IL laborer and
received Sl.50 or 81 per day when he
can GET work. Without the use of anti
toxin it is almost certain that this
boy would have died and That other
members of the family would have
taken the disease, and it is quite pos
sibc that three or four out of the
family would died. Anti-toXin cured
the boy, and prevented other members
of the family from taking the dis
ease, and probably thus preventing
other neighboring children becoming in
fcctcd with the same. 1t was neces-
sary to use 10000 units OH this boy
before the disease would Weld. First.
5000 units, $50; then 5000 units, So:
then 1000 units, 81, making a total
.of $3.50. The other members of the
family were given minimizing doses
.of 1000 units. each at 81 per 1000
making total of $l4. or grand to-
tai of 5000.
Arrangements have been made with
the Lederle an1i-toxin laboratory of
New York city. to keep the Minnesota
state board of health supplied with
concentrated anti-toxin at the follow
ing prices:
against 50; 5000 units $l.4O. as against
SO; 1000 units, $3.50, as against $50
These prices include an aseptic syringe
Tor each dose. | quote from a recent
letter from DR.. Brackcn as follows:
Letter From DR.. Bracken.
In reply to yours of Feb. 10: There
IS no law whereby county patients
can be furnished free anti toxin other
than the law which states that the To-
cal board of health must provide for
the control of contagious diseases. A
person does not have to be as pauper
to be entitled to such help. The charge
I'm Mankato) would be in the first in
stance against the city. The city
could then recover the full amount
from the parties cared for if they were
able TO pay; if they are not able to
pay then it can recover half the
amount from the county as provided
for under section 2l37, 2l3S. and zl39,
Il j.. 1908. The word epidemic in
section 2l37 is revised by chapter 327,
laws OF 1907, to read communicable. ,
The intent is to give people treatment
and then consider the payment of bills
afterwards.
| recommend that you instruct the
health officer to purchase and have
on hand limited supply of LederIe's
anti toxin, to be sold at cost to those
IN need of it. If there are any fam
lies not able to pay these low prices
then the county as provided by law,
viii have to pay one half.
gentlemen, you cannot afford to jeo-
pardize the life and health of this com
munity by reason of any derelection
OF duty on your part, and where
there is an opportunity to so ma
terially reduce the expense of anti