ANTITOXIN TREATMENT.
Depending on the way it is treated, diphtheria is one of the least dangerous or one of the most dangerous diseases. It is one of the least dangerous when promptly treated with antitoxin; it is one of the most dangerous when the antitoxin treatment is not given, or is delayed or insufficient. In the days before we had antitoxin one out of every three children who had diphtheria died. Now, if antitoxin is used on the first or second day of the disease ninety-eight out of every hundred children recover. The sooner diphtheria is attended to the more certain is a cure.
In severe cases suspected to be diphtheria the doctor always gives diphtheria antitoxin at once. This is a wise thing to do, because the disease goes on rapidly and a delay of 12 or 24 hours may be fatal. Besides, no harm is done, even if the disease proves not to be diphtheria. The antitoxin, although making some people uncomfortable for a day or two, never does any real harm. Whenever antitoxin is given to a person ill with diphtheria it should be given in one dose, large enough and early enough.
TEMPORARY PROTECTION WITH ANTITOXIN.
Diphtheria is very contagious, and many people, especially children, can catch it. For this reason, whenever a case of diphtheria is discovered, the doctor injects the antitoxin not only into the patient, but also, as a protective against the disease, into those who have come into contact with the patient. This is spoken of as "immunizing" these individuals. The immunizing dose is not so large as the curative dose given to the patient, but it is usually sufficient to protect those exposed to diphtheria for a month from the time of injection. At the end of that time the protection disappears.