The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-22
DEATH RATE AMONG
!. MICH. CHILDREN
IS ALARMING
II Is 25 Times as High as 1t Should
Be. Says Writer Of Magazine
Article-Alleges Medical Ignor-
ance and Prejudice.
Says High Price of Antitoxin Is Also
Responsible for Enormous Num-
Der of Deaths.


thousand children died last year In
the United States because:
Many physicians are either ignor'
ant Of prejudiced against or afraid
to use the antitoxin which saves
diphtheria victims. and
Manufacturers OF the life-giving
substance are seemingly in combina-
ton and maintain a terribly high
price-S10 for single dose, which
costs but SO cents TO manufacture
This is the substance OF an article
by Edwin Morris, in the January
Pearsons. out today-the statements
being based upon facts and figures
supplied by Health Commissioner
Porter OF the state OF New York.
II those $4,000 dead children had
lived in Paris every one OF them
would be still alive. Commissioner
Porter says that American physicians
are primarily responsible for the ex-
cessive death rate in diphtheria cases.
Paris physicians know what TO do
and do IT, Since the method OF max
ing diphtheria antitoxin was discov-
cred in 1892 the Paris death rate has
steadily decreased from 80 10 6 per-
sons in every 100000 population.
Now it's about stationary at 6. which
seems to be the minimum rate pos
sible under present conditions.
There Is no reason why Americas
diphtheria death rate should be high.
er than that OF Paris, except medical
fear prejudice and ignorance, Corn-
missioner Porter says. That's why
IA, 900 of the 10000 children who died
of diphtheria in America in 1909
light have been saved
In New York city the death rate is
six times higher than II should be.
In some Michigan cities II is % times
as high So II goes. all over the
country, some cities with higher rates
than others-but none as low as II
should be- The rate for the entire
country, he says, Is 31s times as high
as II should be.
What one city has done in the fight
against diphtheria, all other cities or
states may do. Partisan physicians
know no more about the use of an
titoxin than Is known by the best
American physicians. French anti
toxin is no better than American an
titoxin. Diphtheria, In America,
clutches the throat of the child no
more strongly than diphtheria clutch
es the throat OF the Partisan child.
The point is that there are a great
number of physicians in America who
do not clutch the bacteria Of diph-
iberia with anttoxin. Commissioner
Porter says there can be no other
explanation of the high diphtheria
death rates in America. Some physi-
clans are too ignorant; some are too
prejudced The ignorant have no
working knowledge of antitoxin and
the prejudiced do not believe in IT,
The patients of both classes of ply
sicians have a hard time. They re-
cover IL they have enough vitality to
combat both their disease and their
doctor. They die il the doctors and
the disease are too much for them.
Commissioner Porter's remedy is
that parents should insist upon the
early use OF antitoxin. and il the ply
stefan refuses 10 administer 1t he
should be discharged Some ply
sicians. he says, do not use 1t be-
cause they were graduated from med
ical schools before antitoxin was dis
covered, and have neglected to keep
in touch with the progress OF their
profession Others are ignorant be-
cause they were graduated from med
ical schools of low standards. There
are many American physicians who
do not believe in antitoxin, who re-
gard II as dangerous because 1t oc-
casionally kills; but 1t does not Kill
more frequently than does JOY. How
ever. the backwoods doctor who has
heard of q death from antitoxin does
not soon forget il. He is timid be-
cause he is ignorant of the powers
OF antitoxin. Commissioners Porter al
so charges many physicians with
carelessness in the administration OF
antitoxin. They do not follow the
directions on the packages.
The writer mentions another phase
that may account for the great diff
ference between the death rates in
America and Paris. Some physicians
say there is, TO all intents and pur-
poses, an antitoxin trust in this coun-
try There appears to be an under
standing among manufacturers, as
the result Of which prices are in
creased and maintained. II do not
make the charge" the writer says,
because If | were to make it, II
would be Immediately denied by n
multitude of manufacturing chemists
"Antitoxin is exceedingly expen-
sive in the United States and rela-
tiyely cheap in France. Antitoxin is
sold in this country by units Six
thousand units constitute an average
dose. The price OF 5000 units Is $40.
But one dose of 5000 units of an
en- or eight doses are often given.
Yet the actual cost OF making
5000 units of antitoxin OF average
strength is only &c cents. This infor-
nation was given TO me by Commits
sioner Porter who, in the state labor
atories. annually makes 50,000,"00
units Of antitoxin for free distribu-
ton TO the poor.