468 ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



unpleasant result from an injection I gave a nurse. Re- 

 covery was not complete for four or five months. 



SUMMARY 



1. Experimental evidence is unimpeachable that TA 

 mixtures do produce lasting immunity to diphtheria in 

 lower animals. Clinical results are accumulating which 

 show that similar active immunization can be produced in 

 human kind. In my own experience the persistant use of 

 such mixture has immunized 98 to 99 percent for a period 

 up to three and one-half years. 



2. The Schick test made with a potent toxin carefully 

 performed and iDrojDerly interpreted is almost an infall- 

 ible indication of susceptibility or immunity to diph- 

 theria. 



3. All children above one year of age should be given 

 a Schick test to determine their status with reference to 

 diphtheria and also whether they are to be given subse- 

 quently TA or not, just as a person should know his his- 

 tory w^th reference to other infectious diseases. 



4. All school children should be required to present to 

 the school authorities a certificate showing at least the re- 

 sults of a Schick test and if possible active immunization 

 with the TA mixture. 



5. On account of the severe reaction following the use 

 of TA mixtures in adults and because of the relative im- 

 munity of adults, only nurses and doctors given strong 

 Schick reactions should be given TA. 



