pee

others aro attached, insoluble or endotoxins. (See a little discuss~
fon of this matter in Pecember issue of KNOW.) It is possible for an
organism to make both kinds. In diphtheria, it does. The exotoxin
seems necessary for the general growth and activity of the organism. _
It can be neutralized by antitoxin and the disease causing organisms
thus, as it were, starved out. However, the other two or more toxins
meade by this organism are not influenced by diphtheria antitoxin and
4f the one that paralyzes nerves has done its work before the anti-
toxin was given, tho patient may show a paralysis, but live and if
the one that attacks muscle cells has done its work on the heart
musele the patient may die, though, in a way, he would "die cured”,
Thus from any viewpoint, the antitoxin should be given as early as
possible.

Apparently, young babies do not have diphtheria because of the influ-
ence of the antitoxin with which they are born, and adults do not
havo it because of the antitoxin they 1ke fore thensclves. When one
recovers, he seems to do so because of the antitoxin he has made in
response to the stimulus of the disease.

If one haa the discase, he is usually treated by giving him 10000 or
more units of antitoxin. How much is a unit? It is the smallest
amount that will protect a standard guinea pig against a hundred
times the deadly dose of the toxin.

If one is exposed, he may be protected for @ weeks or more by a pre~
ventive dose of 1000 units of antitoxin. Thg material ts made~in a
horse that has beon stimulated by injections of toxin to make as

much ag he can. The horse is bled and the antitoxin is recovered
from the now useful parts of the blood. Each bleeding must be separ~-
ately standardized before its strength may be determined.

Several modes for producing active immunity have been developed and
abandoned. We now use two doses of diphtheria toxid with a time
{interval of two wecks or more. It takes around ninety days for the
immunity to develope.

PENULT

LAST MONTH a little girl in Lawrence died of Diphtheria, Aside from
the doctrine of fatalism, there is every reason to believe the death
was avoidable. An immunization three ycars ago, followed by a check
up would almost certainly have prevented it. Large scale immuniza=-
tions were not done where this little girl lived and she aid not

get hors. It cost her life.

They are done here. Thore is no moncy cost to the patient. The

public offers it to him with its good wishes. Call 462 and arrange
for all you need.

ee Lie Chambers, M. De