Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-09-09
SAYS ANTHRAX
IS NOT FATAL
Importance of Early Treatment
Is Emphasized by New
York Specialist.
SERUM CURES 100 PER Cent
Inspection Of Hides and Furs Under
Government Regulation Is Urged
by Doctor--Cure Takes
About Ten Days.

New YOrk.--Dr. Douglas Summers,
director of the pathological labora-
tories Of Bellevue and allied hospitals,
said that the case of Frederick II.
Post. polo player. who was discharged
as cured of anthrax from Bellevue,
was most important in that 1t may en-
phasze that anthrax is not fatal"
disease.
"Mr. Posts case was diagnosed in
time" Doctor SWIMMERS said. "Thnt
Is The most important thing Get an
anthrax case early enough and cure
Is practically certain This Is the fifth
case Ia he cured in BELLEVUE with the
serum prepared by the United States
department of animal industry.
~ would like to make II as emphat-
ic as possible In this connection that
use i'm newspapers of the phrase dead
~ anthrax has bad effect not only
on the public generally but on any pa
tient that may be under treatment.
You see sufferer from anthrax Is
fully conscious throughout the disease.
He is just as clear mentally rs any one
up to perhaps the last hour If it
chances to be case that was not
taken I'm time and cannot he cured.
That is popularity of anthrax,
Bad for Morale.
"Now. In Mr.. Posts case, he was
feeling in excellent spirits. and he
wanted the newspapers. There was
no reasonable excuse for not giving
them to him. When he got them he
read about deadly anthrax and that 1t
wouldn't he known for ten days wheth-
err he would live or not and II wasn't
particularly good medicine for his
morale. Mr.. Post. II happened. was
man OF fine courage. high intelligence
and rare gameneSs, He was Il splen-
did patient, so reading about the
mythical deadliness of anthrax in the
newspaper accounts didn't have as bad
an effect on him as 1t might.
But there are other patients suf-
fering from anthrax here and there
about the country. and the chances
are there will be more In Bellevue.
The public should be educated as to
what the disease really Is.
anthrax. at the outset, Is mani
Tested by Characteristic lesion at the
point of incubation. This usually Is
on the face. as in Mr.. Posts case. It
looks like an ordinary pimple. red and
itching. Within day or so the pim-
pie breaks down into large, blackish
nicer surrounded by an enormous but
painless swelling
THAT one pimple and swelling Is
all the visible sign there may he Of
the disease. But, II the swelling is on
the cheek. as In Mr. Posts case, 1t
may he enormous. closing the eye.
"Now, IL the disease Is taken right
there, cure Is practically certain.
No one with any such symptoms
should wait an instant. Any one who
has seen the characteristic lesion Of
anthrax could not fail to identify It in
stantly across a room.
Serum Is Effective.
"At Bellevue the percentage of cures
with the government serum Is 100 per
cent. OF the 20 cases treated in the
last three years seven have died. But
the last five. which are the only ones
I'm which the serum has been used,
have been cured.
1.-THE disease Is caused by large,
spore-bearing bacillus. very resistant
to all forms of disnfection. IT yields
most readily to steam under pressure.
The probability Is that Mr.. Post was
infected by a shaving brush. Proper
dlsinfectiOn of the brush would have
ruined It,"
"Disinfection of hides and furs for
anthrax should be a matter of gov
eminent regulation" said DR.. Charles
Norris. chief medical examiner, who
had listened to the discussion. at Is
very nearly impossible to disinfect
without destroying the object disin-
fected. know of only one process
and 1t is long one. About the only
thing I can see for any one to do at
the present time Is TO take a chance
and II he contracts anthrax get proper
treatment with the serum Immediately.
IT is, easy to cure it If 1t Is diagnosed
in time"
"There aren't enough cases to alarm
any one" Doctor Summers said. "But
1t crops up. here and there all over
the country. and the newspapers call
1t deadly and every one gets wor-
ried. Mr. Post came to the hospital
on the fourth day of the disease, and
he was In time. The earlier the bet
ter, however. Where 1t gets danger
Gus is when the infection gets into the
blood The cure takes about ten
days."
Doctor Summers said that the an
thrax bacillus first was discovered in
1875. 1t really Is cultivated in a
laboratory, he added.