Show OFFICIAL HELD IN SERUM QUIZ By fly Associated Pres g HARRISBURG Pa Feb 2 State 2 Slat ti police announced today the arres arrest of ot of a state health official and the Issuance is issuance is Is- of at a warrant for a manufacturer on charges of ot conspiracy t to distribute more than 1100 worthless injections of ot diphtheria antitoxin The troopers also begin an immedi ate tte investigation of ot all ail deaths from diphtheria in the state since October 17 17 1934 Two such deaths led to the discovery that the state was wa distribUting distributing distri antitoxin which Attorney G Genera Gen Cen- n. n era eral Charles J. J Margiotti said had deteriorated Governor Earle ordered or or- dered quick action Two o Face Charges Charles William Hoffman HoUman director of the tate state police bureau of criminal disclosed today that he had worn n out ut against Roy G. G Miller chief of the division of supplies supplies sup plies and biological products of the health department and Dr E. E K Tin ely president of ot the Gilliland Laboratories Laboratories Lab oratories of Marietta Miller was arrested last night and anc released under tinder bail Hoffmann HoUmann said aid but the other warrant had no not yet been served Attorney General Margiotti's announcement announcement an last night that the charges would be made brought brough prompt declarations of ot innocence from the accused men said at his home that the charges come come like a bolt boIt out of ot a clear sky There was absolutely ly no collusion he be said between our laboratories or anyone any ne connected with them and Mr Miller of ot the state health department I cant can't understand the charges Led to Disclosure Deaths of a Wilkes Barre infant nt and anda a Harrisburg man both of whom received received received re re- injection injections of ot the serum led lcd the attorney general said to the d dis disclosure closure that clerks In the department of health last year ear erased the tion lion dates on 1100 boxes containing the serum and stamped them with a ada da date 16 months later He added that four packages of the antitoxin were shipped back to the laboratories where they were tested tested tested test test- ed according to ta laboratory reports and found of sufficient potency b before ore the dates were changed The antitoxin anti anti- toxin is considered ineffective after two years Dr Edith Dexter MacBride-Dexter tate state secretary of health said She immediately sent out telegrams to points in the state which handled handled han han- died it for charity cases recalling the antitoxin and ordering the purchase of ot serum scrum made by other laboratories laboratories' at state expense if necessary Quick Action Governor Go Earle in a statement late ate last Jast night said the public need no not fear to use we antitoxin in the future because this danger has been averted averted avert avert- ed by quick and drastic action Margiotti declared he had sworn statements from both men admitting expiration dates on the serum had been altered Each blames the other the attorney attorney attorney ney general said but they both admit admit ad ad- mit the old serum was kept and that it was wrong calls it an indiscretion Margiotti quoted as saying that the firm also supplied state agencies in Maryland Virginia Alabama Alabama Alabama Ala Ala- bama Tennessee Kentucky and West Virginia He added that both TInge and Miller say this was the only case casein casein casein in which dates on serum was changed |