462 ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



THE SCHICK TEST IN DIPHTHERIA AND TOXIN 

 ANTI-TOXIN IMMUNIZATION. 



C. A. Eaele, M. D., DesPlaines 



More is known to-day of the cause, manifestations 

 and cure of diphtheria than perhaps any other disease. 



Science knows but one remedy for the cure of an at- 

 tack of diphtheria, viz. large doses of diphtheritic anti- 

 toxin given early in the disease. This remedy has re- 

 duced the mortality 50%, yet diphtheria is still the 

 most fatal of the infectious diseases of children, and its 

 prevalence is absolutely undiminished. 700 to 800 chil- 

 dren die of diphtheria in Chicago every year. Too often 

 the child is overpowered by the diphtheritic poison before 

 antitoxin is given, and disaster is unobstructed. It is 

 believed that with our present methods of prevention 

 and cure the mortality and incidence of this disease can 

 not be further lessened. 



The modus operandi of an attack of diphtheria is as 

 follows : Virulent diphtheria bacilli by personal contact 

 with a case of diphtheria or with a carrier are implanted 

 upon the mucous membrane of a child's throat. They be- 

 gin to grow in the throat like the mold on a contaminated 

 glass of jelly. These germs do not enter the child's tis- 

 sues or blood. They start at once to manufacture one 

 of the most deadly poisons kno^\ni, viz., diphtheritic 

 toxin. This diphtheritic toxin enters the blood stream 

 and if unneutralized by antitoxin produces its character- 

 istic destructive and paralyzing effects. 



If, however, the child shortly before contact had re- 

 ceived a sufficient amount of antitoxin, or if the child is 

 naturally immune to diphtheria, or if active immunity 

 had been induced by the injection of T. A. mixtures to 

 which I shall refer presently, this deadly toxin is neu- 

 tralized and diphtheria does not result. The germs 

 themselves prowl around the child's throat, get discour- 

 aged, and in course of time varying from one week to 

 several months leave for more fertile fields or disinte- 

 grate. 



