The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-11-02
PNEUMONIA SERUM PROVES BIG HELP
Greater Hope Exists for Curing Disease This Win.
 ter Than Ever Before

Greater hope exists for curing pneumonia this winter than ever be- fore, because a type-specific serum has now been developed for every one of the 32 types of pneumococ- GUS, whereas @ year ago sera had been developed for only five types.
 This announcement was made this morning by pr. Willard KnoWlton, director of the Bureau Of Prevent able Diseases of the State Depart ment of Health.
 Serum Is now available for each of the five types which cause about 70 per cent of pneumonia cases, and serum for the other 27 types will be available in about two months, Dr. Knowlton said, speaking in the de- partment's weekly broadcast.
 Early Treatment
 In order that the serum be effec. tive, 1t Is essential that 1t be given as early as possible after the dis ease starts, and this requires certain procedures to be carried out by the patients family, the attending phy- sician and by the laboratory that de- termines which type of pneumococ- GUS Is causing the disease, the d. rector stated. Unlike relatively simple diseases, such as diphtherla, pneumonia is caused by at least 32 different types of germs, each pro- ducing Its own special kind of toxin or poison. A serum effective for one type would not be effective against other types,
 This makes 1t essential for the laboratory to determine the exact type of pneumococcus in each case, so that the proper type-specific serum may be administered To &C., complish this early, the essential thing for the family to do is to call a physician immediately when symptoms of special importance are sudden elevation of temperature, @ chill, a pain In the chest or side and blood -tinged or rusty-appearing sputum. When any of these symp- toms occur without previous illness or during the course of e cold or attack of influenza, the patient should be putt bed and the doctor called at once. Also, the sputum coughed up from the lungs should be saved in clean dish or cup till the doctor comes. If the case proves to be one of pneumonia, the doctor will wish to have the sputum exam ined Immediately to determine the type of pneumococcus, so he will know what kind of serum to give the patient A special messenger to take the sample of sputum to the labora- tory will facilitate obtaining this information promptly.
 Serum Expensive
 When the diagnosis Is made and the typing is done then comes the difficulty, Dr. Knowlton said, for 1t takes money to buy serum. Last year, the State Department of Health used more than two-thirds of the total amount of money available to 1t for biologics to furnish anti pneumococcic serum for Types I and II only. With this limitation on the department appropriation for biol ogics 1t will not be possible to ex- tend It's service in the way of sup- plying sera for additional types of pneumonia. Thus, 1t will be neces- sary to take tip the matter of sup plying the new types of sera with the patients local health officer.
 Statistical data indicate that Con- necticut's death rate for pneumonia Is being cut, and this may be taken as evidence that the conquest of the disease Is under way, pr. Knowlton declared.