CHAPTER XV. 



DIPHTHERIA. 



THERE is no better example of the valuable contributions 

 of bacteriology to scientific medicine than that afforded in 

 the case of diphtheria. Not only has research supplied, 

 as in the case of tubercle, a means of distinguishing true 

 diphtheria from conditions which resemble it, but the study 

 of the toxines of the bacillus has explained the manner by 

 which the pathological changes and characteristic symptoms 

 of the disease are brought about, and has led to the dis- 

 covery of the most efficient means of treatment, namely, 

 the anti-diphtheritic serum. 



Historical. As in the case of many other diseases, 

 various organisms which have no causal relation to the 

 disease were formerly described in the false membrane. 

 The first account of the bacillus now known to be the cause 

 of diphtheria was given by Klebs in 1883, who described 

 its characters in the false membrane, but made no cultiva- 

 tions. It was first cultivated by Loffler from a number of 

 cases of diphtheria, his observations being published in 

 1884, and to him we owe the first account of its characters 

 in cultures and of some of its pathogenic effects on animals. 

 The organism is for these reasons known as the Klebs- 

 Lorfler bacillus, or simply as, Loffler's bacillus. By experi- 

 mental inoculation with the cultures obtained, Loffler was 

 able to produce false membrane on damaged mucous surfaces, 

 but he hesitated to conclude definitely that this organism 



