136 



DIPHTHERIA 



" Joint-pains were observed in 40, or 6.3 per 

 cent, of the whole number, and all but five of them 

 had a rash as well. 



" In 26, or 65 per cent, of the joint-pains, some 

 rise of temperature accompanied the pain. A rise 

 of temperature during convalescence, accompanied 

 by either rash or joint-pain, occurred in 27, or 4.2 

 per cent, of the whole number. 



" No connection could be traced between the 

 amount of antitoxin administered and the occurrence 

 of rashes or late pyrexia, but the pain in and about 

 the joints appears to have a relationship to the 

 amount of antitoxin used. 



" The results of the Committee's investigation 

 tend to show that by the use of antitoxin — 



1. The general mortality is reduced by one- third. 



2. The mortality in tracheotomy falls by one- 

 half. 



3. Extension of membrane to the larynx very 

 rarely occurs after the administration of antitoxin. 



4. The duration of life in the fatal cases is 

 decidedly prolonged. 



5. The number of fatal cases is less when 

 antitoxin is used early in the illness than in those 

 which do not receive it until a later period. 



6. The frequency of the occurrence of paralysis 

 is not diminished, but the percentage of recoveries 

 in cases with paralysis is slightly increased. # 



* For an exhaustive and final study of the diphtheritic 

 paralyses, see Dr Woollacott's essay in the Lancet, 26th August 

 1899 : "The use of antitoxic serum in the treatment of diph- 

 theria has, up to the present time, in the London fever 

 hospitals, had two main results — the death-rate has fallen^ 



