The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-08-20
Importance of Early Treatment
Is Emphasized by New
York Specialist.
SERUM CURES 100 PER CENT
Inspection of Hides and Furs Under
Government Regulation lie 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-
phasize that anthrax Is not a fatal
disease.
"Mr. Posts case was diagnosed In
time" Doctor Summers said. "That
Is the most important thing. Get an
anthrax case early enough and cure
Is practically certain. This is the fifth
case to be clSed In Bellevue with the
serum prepared by the United States
department of animal industry.
Il would like TO make Ii as emphat-
&c as possible In this connection that
use In 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 as any one
up to perhaps the last hour, II It
chances TO be case that was not
taken In time and cannot be cured,
That is peculiarly of anthrax.
Bad for Morale.
snow, 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 II
wouldn't he known for ten days wheth-
er he would live or not. and 1t wasn't
particularly good medicine for his
morale Mr.. Post. II happened, was n
man of fine courage. high intelligence
and rare gameness. He was SPLEEN
did patient, so reading about the
mythical deadliness of anthrax in the
newspaper accounts didn't have as bad
an effect on him as II 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 hy characteristic lesion at the
point Of incubation This usually Is
on the face. as In Mr.. Posts case. II
looks like an ordinary pimple, red and
itching. Within day or so the PIN
pie breaks down into a large. blackish
ulcer 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, II
may be enormous. closing the eve.
Now. n the disease is taken right
there, a cure Is practically certain.
No one with anv such symptoms
should wait an instant. Any one who
has seen the Characteristic lesion Of
anthrax could not foil to identify II In
stantly across a room.
Serum 10 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
in which the serum has been used,
have been cured.
"The disease Ia caused by large.
spore-hearing bacillus, very resistant
to all forms of disinfection. II yields
most readily to steam under pressure.
The probability IL that Mr.. Post was
infected by a shaving brush. Proper
disinfection of the brush would have
ruined H."
sDisinfectIon OF hides and furs for