BACTERIOLOGY IN A NUTSHELL. 



Diphtheria 

 Toxin and 

 Antitoxin. 



Curative and 

 Prophylactic 

 Treatment. 



If eight minutes were allowed to elapse, six 

 times as much antitoxin is required. Aftei 

 sixteen minutes, twelve times as much antitoxin 

 must be used. After the lapse of a few hours 

 no matter how much antitoxin is injected the 

 life of the animal is forfeited. 



Experiments with diphtheria toxin and its 

 neutralization by antitoxin in the animal body 

 developed similar conditions. Practical exper- 

 ience with diphtheria in the human subject has 

 demonstrated that the longer the disease has 

 been in progress the more antitoxin is neces- 

 sary to effect a c«re. 



The curative action of an antitoxin does not 

 consist in the neutralization of the circulating 

 toxin, but rather in its being able to tear away 

 from the tissue cells the toxin they have taken 

 up, or "bound." In course of treatment, the 

 circulating toxin "is neutralized. This step is 

 prophylactic (preventive) in nature and only 

 an equivalent of toxin is reqtiired. But a great 

 excess is required in order to remove toxin 

 from tissue cells. Authorities assert that when 

 no amount of antitoxin will effect a cure, some- 

 thing more than chemical union between the 

 toxins and the body cells has taken place. Pro- 

 cesses of a biological nature have arisen by 

 reason of which the toxin becomes a part of the 

 protoplasm and dtestructive action of the toxo- 

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