78 MICROBES AND HEALTH. 



Then this firm advises the use of certain prepara- 

 tions manufactured by themselves, as being far supe- 

 rior to antitoxin, and closed by saying: "Physicians 

 all over the United States advocate the usage of our 

 products in preference to antitoxin." 



Does this second answer prove anything for anti- 

 toxin ? 



No. On the other hand it is practically an admis- 

 sion that antitoxin is without value. 



They say: "It is our opinion," so-and-so, and then 

 discard antitoxin for goods manufactured by them- 

 selves. The two answers just quoted are from personal 

 letters. 



The third answer is also from a leading firm of 

 manufacturing chemists. Perhaps this firm stands 

 highest in authority Merck & Co. of New York. 

 Their answer appeared in Merck's Archives for July, 

 1900, page 80, as follows: 



"The reports of the first experiments performed with 

 antitoxin indicated that the experimenters used per- 

 fectly pure and antiseptic-free antitoxin. It was only 

 when they were compelled to keep it that antiseptics 

 were used, and then they had to determine if the anti- 

 septic would destroy its curative properties. On find- 

 ing that it would not they were able to send it out as 

 a commercial article. A study of the results of the 

 use of antitoxin, as shown by various articles that have 

 from time to time appeared in the Archives, will show 

 Dr. W. that no such effects could in any degree be 

 accounted for by the use of creosote, carbolic acid or 

 other such remedy." 



