New Britain herald., 1923-10-06
SCIENCE OFFERS
 BAR ID DIPHTHERIA
Dr. Pullen Explains Process in
 His Weekly Health Talk
By RICHARD c, ruILEN sunt. of Health Dept,

There are in general two methods of preventing diphtheria. The irsl method is to avoid contact with ner- sons who have dlnhtheria or who have diphthsria germs in their lhfaats. The second method ih by having your doctar give loNin,antie toxin. The first method Is enforced as well as can he ny auananlining the persons infected. This, however eaa- not be totally satisfactory method, Tn the first place all eases are not re- ported fo the authorities. One reason for this Is that sometimes no doctor IA called and then, ef course, the health department has no knowledge of the ease. Tn the second place there are a great many people whom we have previously discussed. namely, diphtheria carriers. who while they arc perfectly well In appearance have tho diphtheria germs in their threats.
 These germs can only he found hy taking cultures from the nose and throat. If Is plain tn he seen that In order to determine how many carriers there are and who they are would make it necessary 10 take nose and throat cultures from every person In Inc city of New Britain. There ara without doubt some diphtheria car- riers In this city who are moi quar- antined. This has heen found by talk. ing cultures from children who wished fo enter institutions where they would he In contact with number Of other children. Before they were admitted they required a permit from the board of health and before this permit Was given nose and throat cultures were taken. Where the diphtheria germ was found the persons were not allow cd to enter the institutions but were ouarantined at home. This undonbt- edly helps to prevent the spread ot diphtheria. But when we realize that there must be carriers whom we do not know we become certain that some additional method of prevention must be used.
 This brings us to tho consideration of oxin-antitoxin. Now, as has pre- viously been said. certain persons are | immune to dfphtheria. II is possible | for the doctor to determine who is |
 
 immune by the use of what is called | the Schick test. When this test shows | that a person is not immune. toxin antitoxin can be given 10 mako that person immune. Perhaps the best ex. planation of 1t all is given briefly and in the following excerpt from the report issued by tho Con necticut state department of health:
 ''The deaths from dinhtheria in as elsewhere. can be greatly diminished. as can the num- Der of cases, by the use of diphtheria toxin-antitoxin. Connecticut is one of the states where citizens are anx. ous to save their children from com. municablc diseases. "No child or adult need suffer from iiphtheria today. ly .'Dr. Park of the New York City . of Health concludes from ! is study that immuni2ation by toxin I is not necessary before the z lge of six months. His conclusion in fl he Journal of American Medical as i. is as follows: The toxin Injections are inadvisable :, before the age Of six months. Dur ng this time most of the infants re- ain the antitoxin received from their mothers. Up to the age of three 4 months immunizing injections are [