CHAPTER LXXXI 



NATURE'S ANTITOXIN REINFORCED 



IN certain diseases, diphtheria, scarlet fever, 

 lockjaw, the germs multiply so rapidly, generate 

 poisons so fast, that the body cells are sometimes 

 unable to manufacture antitoxine soon enough to 

 meet the emergency. More antitoxine is required. 



Happily, the way to furnish this extra help is 

 now known, and Nature's antitoxine may be re- 

 inforced, the life of the patient saved. 



Of the methods used to procure this help, one 

 only need be considered. In the first place, the 

 germ causing the disease for which the antitoxine 

 is desired, is isolated. A pure culture is next 

 made of the germ. A lower animal is then inocu- 

 lated with the culture. 



In the body of the animal the germs grow, multi- 

 ply and produce the poison which cause the dis- 

 ease, exactly as they do in the body of the human 

 subject infected by the same germs. With the 

 onset of the disease, too, the cells in the body of 

 the animal go to work, just as they do in the 

 body of the human subject, and manufacture a 

 counterpoison, a poison to destroy the poison 

 manufactured by the disease germs. 



This counter poison does its proper work. It 

 neutralizes the poison causing the disease. The 

 animal in due time recovers. 



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