104 THE ACUTE SELF-LIMITED INFECTIONS 



substance to aid tissues for which they themselves 

 have not worked. The visible effects of antitoxin 

 administrations are a rather rapid disappearance of 

 the false membrane, a fall of temperature, and a 

 lessening of constitutional prostration. 



For the best results in the treatment of diphtheria, 

 antitoxin should be used early. Each hour of delay 

 in using it after the diagnosis has been made reduces 

 the good chances of the patient. For large cities the 

 decrease in mortality has been 50 per cent., and in 

 the favorable cases, even 75 per cent. 



Serum Sickness. Sometimes what is called serum 

 sickness occurs after antitoxin injections. This con- 

 sists in a general feeling of illness, with skin eruptions, 

 swelling of the glands, edema, and albumin in the 

 urine. It occurs in susceptible individuals, and its 

 cause is unknown. Some ascribe it to a peculiar 

 phenomenon of also unknown nature, called anaphy- 

 laxis, not necessary to describe here. Occasionally 

 sudden death has occurred. The fatal cases are 

 said to have been in individuals susceptible to the 

 presence of horses. 



Pseudodiphtheria Bacilli. There is a group of organ- 

 isms called pseudodiphtheria bacilli, because of their 

 resemblance in morphology and growth to the true 

 disease-producing type. They are sometimes found 

 in jaw abscesses or otitis media. They do not produce 

 the typical diphtheritic sore throat. The presence of 

 such forms in the throat often leads to erroneous 

 diagnoses, and lengthens quarantine. Quarantine is 

 demanded by health authorities until the throat is 

 shown to be clear of diphtheria bacilli for two successive 

 days. 



