Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-04-14


and distress. He had intolerable
headache, his eyes were closed in a
condition of helpless though painful
stupOr, his back was bowed backward
and his head drawn back almost be-
tween his shoulders by the terrible in.
ma mmation about the membranes or
the brain and spinal cord.
1t was evident that he was suffer-
ing from severe. and rapidly fata,
form of meningitis, and the first nrob-
lem to solve was whether that form
was one which could be benefited by
lnls new serum. To do this. a fine.
hollow needle was thrust into the
space which surrounds the spinal cord
low In the back, the sufferer having
been first rendered unconscious bv
a few whiffs of chloroform.
when the needle entered this space
about the spinal cord. fluid escaped
from the outer end and was carefully
collected in tubes rendered sterile In
the laboratory. 1t was seen at once
that severe Inflammation was pres
ent. In former days the physician
would have felt that to remove this
fluid would be all that could be done,
and the little fellow would, no doubt,
have succumbed to the disease, yirlu.
ent as it was, Now instead of remoy-
ing the needle it was used to give
an amount of serum equal to that of
the fluid withdrawn, The needle was
then withdrawn, the child put back in
his crib to sleep away the effects of
the soothing chloroform.
Boy Receivers Health.
Although for few hours afterward
no change was seen, before Is hours
had passed he already showed slight
signs OF Improvement, The removal
of diseased fluids and injection of the
life-saving serum had to be repeated
each day, at the same hour, for four
days, and each injection was followed
In a few hours by marked and pro-
gressive Improvement in condition.
After the third injection the little fell
low, now almost comfortable, could
sit In his mothers lap and drink from
a glass held to his lips. He even
held the glass for a moment himself.
and said few comforting words to
his mother. Four Gays after the last
injection elapsed without more iniec-
tons being made, but during this time
the physicians watched the baby with
unceasing care. Near the end of this
period it became evident that the i'm
provement, though great, was not pro.
crossing as rapidly as they desired,
and it was determined, on the advice
of DR.. Flexner, to begin the injections
anew. In this way four more injec.
tions, "a hours apart, were made. and
at the end of this time the little pa
tient was almost well. Within a week
after the injections were stopped he
was playing on the floor again with
his little brother, and today is as
strong and healthy baby of his age
as there Is in the neighborhood.
The physicians have no doubt but
that this terrible disease would have
carried it's little victim to the grave.
had not Flexner's serum been avail
able, because having seen many cases
before, they had learned to know thar
one as severe as this could hardly be
survived
In Case of a Woman.
The second case treated was that of
a young woman recently married in
whom the onset was quite as severe
and terrifying as in the child. The
treatment, as in the first case, was be.
gun within S6 hours after the first
symptoms appeared, and in this short
space OF time the victim had become
unconscious and was in a very critical
condition f'!exner's serum was used
In exactly the same manner as in the
otner case, and the results were ident
icai' The young woman TO-DAY goes
ABOUT her homework with only,
oreaa memory of the disease. She Is
as Wen and happy as though she had
ence. oAperi
Both these cases are considerod -
Illustrate one point which has bear
emphasized by study of all the cases
sieated IN this manner, that to be q,
oenent the serum must be used in tbe
earliest hours of the disease.
one OF the marvellous things abou,
anti-meningitis serum is the manne,
IN which it is being introduced. TO,
Dr. F1exner and his associates arc
not willing that this should be an
other one of the many reputed cures
| which the public, through sad expert
ence, eventually learns to know are
not cures at all. The serum Is moi
for sale, but may be secured without
charge If suitable precautions are OBJ
served. DR.. Flexner demands that the
serum be used only by men capable OF
using it properly, and these men mus,
have been selected In advance in each
portion of the country.