CHAPTER IX.* 



THE MANUFACTURE OF ANTISERA AND OTHER BIO- 

 LOGICAL PRODUCTS RELATED TO SPECIFIC 

 INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 



ANTITOXINS. 



Antitoxins are employed in the form of sera which may be either liquid, 

 dried or precipitated. The immunity produced by the application of an 

 antitoxin is passive and lasts for a relatively short time, usually a few 

 weeks. The immunity is passive in nature because the treated individual 

 receives no substance which stimulates the development of protective 

 bodies, as in the case of vaccination, but rather enjoys temporary protec- 

 tion from the application of theoretical antibodies, the development of 

 which has been stimulated in the blood of some other species. When 

 antitoxin is injected hypodermatically and becomes absorbed, neutraliza- 

 tion of the specific toxin molecules begins. Therefore, antitoxins are 

 used both as prophylactic and therapeutic agents. 



At present the most important antitoxins are those of diphtheria and 

 tetanus. The great value of both of these is proved by abundant reliable 

 statistics. Mention might be made of many other antisera, some of 

 which are of value as shown by the results of extensive practical use, 

 and some of which are yet in the experimental stage. Among these 

 products are found antistreptococcic serum, antidysenteric serum, 

 anti-hog-cholera or hyperimmune serum, antipneumococcic serum, 

 equine influenza antitoxin and antitubercle serum. 



DIPHTHERIA ANTITOXIN. A culture of the organism may readily be 

 secured from the throat of a patient, by transferring some of the diphtheritic 

 exudate, on a sterile cotton swab, to Loftier' s blood serum culture medium. 

 After the growth of the bacteria at incubator temperature, contaminating 

 organisms may conveniently be eliminated by the inoculation of a guinea 

 pig and the isolation of the diphtheria organisms from the tissues. The 

 pure culture is necessary in the preparation of the antitoxin, but any 



* Prepared by W. E. King. 



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