The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1913-11-11
DR'S. MAYO NOW USE BUTTER MILK
FOR SORE TF1ROATS OR DIPHTHERIA

and be done with her? We can't keep
her confined here forever. First thing
we know some lawyer with nothing
else to do will come quoting the Con-
stitution and serving writs of habeas
corpus on us. Come, let's buck up and
do something, gentlemen!''
Then up spake an impetuous youth
with a brand new diploma. "Say, fell
lows, | know scheme we haven't tried
yet. Let's soak her ins the neck with
a good stiff staphylococcus spray.
Maybe that will clean up the bugs!"
81 counsel caution" suggested a
more circumspect practitioner Of parts.
1--WE don't want to injure her health
whatever we do"
This argument put damper on the
young cubs enthusiasm But there
was still another youth present who
was something of diplomat as well
as scientist.
Il second our seniors view," he OBJ
served. 81 too say nix to the staphy-
lococcus spray was close COM
petitor of the first youngster. "Me for
the friendly microbe every time. Why
not try a sour milk spray? Tactic acid
germs can't do any harm, anyway, and
that, you know, was the axiom of Hip
pocrates himself: do good if you can,
but for goodness sake do no HARM"
Everybody looked surprised.
9Lactic acid bacillus?" they ques-
toned. "Never heard of such treat
ment."
"Well, this is Rochester, Mimi. No
place like Rochester to try these new
ideas out, fellows"
They commissioned the brilliant
youth-he was the bacteriologist of St.
Mary's Hospital-to prepare lively
culture of sour milk microbes, which
required two days. Meanwhile they
ceased using antiseptics in the throat,
for antiseptics are unpleasant to all
microbes, the good and the bad alike,
and they desired to give the sour milk
germs fair field.
The day after the first spraying with
the sour milk germs the report came
back from the culture No diphtheria
germs present. Tactic acid bacilli alive
and kicking! And repeated cultures
subsequently taken-by this time the
cook had become reconciled to her lot
the utter rout of the diph-
iberia bacilli from the field. Thus
public menace was converted to harm
lessness by the agency of buttermilk
The sour milk treatment was later
found a great help in the management
of a genuine case Of diphtheria. Even
when antitoxin and powerful local rem
edies had failed to make any noticeable
impression on an unusually severe at
tack in an adult resort to the Tactic
acid germ spray gave immediate and
remarkable relief. The membrane
melted away rapidly and the cultures
were reported free from diphtheria
germs several days before the last YES
tiges of membrane had disappeared
from the throat.
The health officer of Rochester, re-
porting this new treatment, remarked
that the physician encountering a case
of diphtheria in a rural community
where antitoxin could not be promptly
obtained might find some advantage in
swabbing the nose and throat with Or
binary sour milk.
The buttermilk germ is friendly
microbe under all circumstances. In
the alimentary canal it kills off the
colon bacillus (''the old age microbe'')
which causes so many aged symptoms
in young, middle aged and elderly peo-
pie; the sour milk germ simply rend-
ers the pabulum unsuitable for the
other and so prevents autointoxication.
But there is no reason to think the
sour milk germ exercises any selective
action in its choice of antagonists; all
other microbes look alike to the Tactic
acid bacillus. A buttermilk gargle
may therefore be useful in all sorts of
sore threats and tonsillitis. Coming
down with an alleged "cold" which
seems to be settling" in the throat,
the victim may well lay aside his per-
OXIDE and hail the nassinp butferfnillx