84 MODERN BIOLOGIC THERAPEUSIS 



may be a safeguard for the future. The bene- 

 fits to be derived from large doses of antitoxin 

 through the rapid neutralization of toxins are 

 threefold: (1) complications are minimized; 

 (2) the patient's recovery is hastened and the 

 infectious period shortened; and (3) malig- 

 nant cases are rendered less severe or even 

 aborted. 



Single Large Dose In a recent paper based 

 on personal observation of over 10,000 cases of 

 diphtheria (The Journal A.M. A., Sept. 5, 1914) 

 Dr. S. S. Woody, Chief Resident Physician to 

 the Philadelphia Hospital for Contagious Dis- 

 eases, stated: ''No case of diphtheria, however 

 mild, should receive less than 10,000 units". 

 Dr. William H. Park, Director of the Bureau 

 of Laboratories of the New York City Depart- 

 ment of Health, recommends 5,000 units in 

 mild, 10,000 in severe and 20,000 in malignant 

 cases. As a result of long study of the effect of 

 antitoxin on diphtheria, Dr. Park is of the opin- 

 ion that one dose sufficiently large and admin- 

 istered early is probably sufficient for the 

 whole course of the disease; and he states that 

 two, three or four doses are probably unneces- 

 sary and often inadvisable, and calls attention 



