Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-04-20
AntitOxins in Disease.


day with the statement that diph
liberia antitoxin was the most sue
cessful of the curative antitoxins 81
far produced. l mentioned tetanu
antitoxin as being Of more value al
! a prophylactic than as curativ,
product, although it undoubtedly
does save. lives In q certain proper
ton of cases.
The antitoxing for cerebro-spina
meningitis. called in medical circle.
antimeningitis serum Is another
wonderful saver of lives. In intro
ducing this cure to the world q new
method Of injecting serum into the
body was established that has lee
to much good in other diseases than
meningitis. The method / refer tt
was its introduction into the spinal
canal, where the antitoxin can act
directly upon the established focus
Of the disease. Antimeningitis serum
has been our means Of lowering the
mortality of cerebro-spinal fever
(meningitis), about so per cent
Credit for the work on meningitis
belongs principally to DR.. Simon
Flexner, head Of the Rockefeller In
stitute of Research, and 1t was the
latter foundation that made the
work possible and furnished the
funds whereby the serum was uni
versally introduced. do not exag-
gerate when say that were 1t not
for the vast resources at the dis
posal Of DR.. Flexner and his CO.
workers antimeningitis serum might
cty 10 hA
Anti-streptococcus serum, or the
serum opposed to erysipelas, is an
other very useful serum, also a life.
saver, but there are still many prob
lens to unravel in infections caused
by the germ called streptococcus be-
fore this serum will be complete
success. At present all we can say
Of it is that 1t has a beneficial influ-
ence in about rs per cent Of the
cases.
With these four serums we have
exhausted the true antitoxins or
curative serums. The other method
Of curing infections through injec-
tons of bacteria is another story
that we will discuss in a later in
stallment
SOInUlISLAtlOIlS. .....
You often read in the press that
patient dies of complication Of
diseases. Often this is simply a
cover for the ignorance of the doctor
Of the paper. Indeed the phrase
complication Of diseases Is an anach-
ronism itself. Patients die Of a COM
plicating disease, not Of complica-
ton Of diseases. A complication is
disease superimposed ESQ to speak)
upon pre-existing one. This may
be an infection, but not necessarily.
However, complications are usually
infectious, and are then Of course
due to infectious agents. The infec-
tious agents are usually bacteria.
lection depends upon circumstances.
It may happen that the injecting
agent has it's natural habitat upon
or within cavity of the body lead
'monia, which is frequent com,
plicating infection in every disease
and the most common cause Of
death in most, is caused by germ
that almost everyone harbors In his
IHOutH SNefl III fltdltH. All lHStdHCO
of contamination from the skin is
afforded by boils. a common sequel
to various infections during and
after convalescence.
A second source for bacteria
which complicate disease is found
in objects, insects and persons that
come in contact with the patient.
Thus wounds soiled with earth are
those in which tetanus Qock-j jaw
and gaseous gangrene are liable to
develop. because the bacteria which
bring about these infections have
their natural home in the ground. 1t
was these two complicating infec-
tons. particularly the latter. which
caused so much death and suffering
among wounded soldiers during the
war Just passed, and in every war
Of the past.
Lastly insects. such as flies, bed
bugs, mosquitoes. body lice, etc.
may be the means Of conveying in
fections.
Adequate Medical Service.
In these days of progress In pre-