SERUM THERAPY 85 



to the results obtained at the Willard Parker 

 Hospital. He states that during the year 1913, 

 95 per cent of all cases of diphtheria treated 

 there received but one injection of antitoxin: 

 and the records show that the mortality from 

 the disease has been the lowest in the history of 

 the institution. As a result of his studies, Dr. 

 Park concludes that the first dose should be 

 sufficient for the entire disease, and that fur- 

 ther doses should only be given in case one has 

 not judged correctly the amount required in 

 the first dose; and, that while there is no harm 

 in giving additional doses, even if the first is 

 sufficient, there is great harm in relying on 

 later doses to add to the effect of the first. 



Some later studies of Schick, which bear on 

 the dosage of Diphtheria Antitoxin in the treat- 

 ment of diphtheria patients, have recently been 

 reported from von Pirquet's clinic in Vienna. 

 It is interesting to note how closely the results 

 obtained by Schick correspond to those which 

 followed the careful studies of Dr. Park. One 

 of the most important of Schick 's observations 

 is that repeated injections of the antitoxin are 

 superfluous and not warranted. The only cir- 

 cumstance in which a second injection is of 



