Show Freaks and Oddities In ln Science N News The diphtheria bacillus produces a poison polson or U toxin which in massive amounts causes cause lIIn illness s and death Antitoxin is an antidote to the diphtheria theria therla poison polson and is used to ro treat cases of the tho dis dis- ease Toxin roxin antitoxin on the other hand is toxin largely neutralized by antitoxin When it is In Introduced introduced introduced in- in into the body the antitoxin gradually splits off leaving more and more of or the toxin These very small doses of or toxin have the effect of raising the body's resistance to the disease or giving it immunity c Two methods of preventing diphtheria deaths U now exist One is early treatment of or the disease disease disease dis dis- ease with antitoxin the other is prevention b by immunization with successor to toxin anti I toxin The prevention of diphtheria b by active immunization is the greatest thing in public health I since Jenners Jenner's development of or vaccination against smallpox |