456 DIPHTHERIA, SCARLET FEVER, AND TETANUS 



should be the only persons in contact with the patient. After 

 handling the patient, which should be done as infrequently as 



,^-~~T~T possible, the hands 



of the attendants 

 should be immedi- 

 ately cleansed in a 

 germicidal solution 

 and then washed with 

 soap and water. 



Diphtheria anti- 

 toxin is usually ad- 

 ministered early to 

 help the patient get 

 control of the disease. 

 This antitoxin pro- 

 duces immunity with 

 little or no work on 

 the part of the cells 



The strength of the toxin is tested by injecting a very small , . , , , 



volume into a 250-gm. guinea pig. If the pig dies within four OI the patient S body . 



days, it is toxic enough to inject into a horse to produce o "L 



antitoxin. After a given time, blood is drawn from the horse, oUCJl immunity IS 



the serum with its antitoxin is separated from the blood and i 



again tested. This time, a little serum is mixed with some Jv n O W n as paSblVC 



W h p n 

 ^ ne anttoxn nCU- 



tralizes the toxins of 

 the invading germs, the patient's body develops its own anti- 

 toxins. This results in an active, permanent immunity. The 

 administering of a sufficient quantity of antitoxin is the primary 

 remedy for the cure of diphtheria. When a physician is not 

 called early enough, the case may advance so far that the ad- 

 ministration of antitoxin is valueless. Too much toxin has then 

 been produced by the invading germs for the antitoxin to neu- 

 tralize. If other members of the family are in contact with the 

 patient and have not been immunized by the toxin-antitoxin 



toxin and the mixture injected into a guinea pig. If the pig : m m .. n : . v 



lives, the serum is shown to contain antitoxin and will be eff ec- J l L 3 ' 



tive. Look up the exact amounts of material and time in- 

 volved in this standardization process. 



