268 PHARMACEUTICAL BACTERIOLOGY 



4. Antipneumococcic Serum 



This serum is obtained from horses immunized against the Pneumo- 

 coccus and is employed in the treatment of pneumonia and other infectious 

 disease in which this germ is present. The dose is about 10 cc. repeated 

 several times a day, given hypodermically. The serum must be kept in a 

 cool dark place. When a tube is opened the contents should be used with- 

 in twenty-four hours, sealed temporarily with sealing wax, paraffin or 

 sterile wadding. This serum has not proven very satisfactory, though it 

 is safe and worthy of a trial. (See pneumonia.) 



5. Antimeningococcic Serum 



Antimeningococcic serum is obtained from horses which have been 

 immunized with cultures of Diplococcus meningitidis intracettularis, be- 

 ginning with dead cultures, then using living cultures and finally with 

 autolysate. Its use is said to have met with considerable success in the 

 treatment of cerebro-spinal meningitis, when injected into the spinal 

 canal in doses of 10 cc., repeated daily. The serum acts as an antitoxin, 

 it increases phagocytosis and also acts as a bactericide. It should be 

 used early in the course of the disease. 



6. Yersin's Serum (Antiplague Serum) 



Yersin's serum is made by injecting horses, first with dead plague 

 bacillus cultures (Bacillus pestis) and finally with the living organisms. It 

 has been used with varying success in plague epidemics. Large doses 

 (30 to 50 cc.) should be administered (hypodermically) early in the course 

 of the disease. Its chief value is, however, prophylactic. The liquid 

 form of the serum may also be used for intravenous injection. The dry 

 serum is said to keep indefinitely and must be dissolved before using. 



7. Bacterins 



a. Ordinary Bacterins. The bacterins are still, so to speak, on trial. 

 Some have given excellent results while others are wholly unsatisfactory. 

 The preference appears to be for autogenous bacterins. The majority of 

 physicians are, however, compelled to use the so-called stock bacterins, 

 or the manufactured bacterins ready for use, for the reason that few phy- 

 sicians have the time or the equipment to prepare the homologous or auto- 

 genous bacterins. The method of preparing a homologous bacterin may 

 be outlined as follows: 



a. A tube, flask or plate with the suitable culture medium (agar or 

 gelatin) is inoculated with the germs taken from the patient and incubated, 

 until a maximum development has taken place, about twenty-four hours. 



b. The growth is separated from the culture medium by means of a 



