Show r Ci AI rt lRE g MEDICINE KEEPS KEELS YOU WELL B By James Jam M I Anders l ts 31 1 D l Philadelphia Member Gorgas Memorial Institute Higher standards of o medical ed- ed education education and practice grew crew out of o the arrival of o a ne new epoch of so- so called research medicine which began a little mor more than a halt half century ago eo and soon thereafter the germ theory of ot disease wa n w aa announced Thus a more rigid ried scientific tendency was introduced Into American medicine medicine- and as a 11 natural consequence laboratory workers members of or the regular medical profession began to In- In Increase increase In Increase crease in numbers In this and other countries Then followed the discovery of the specific c cause use olon of one leading and prevalent com cor- communicable mur disease after atter another For example In 1880 La eran an Italian Investigator Isolated the tho plasmodium malaria or cause of malarial fever In the tho same year Eberth discovered the germ which caused typhoid fever fevel and IS known as th the typhoid bacillus Not ot until about three decades lat later lat lat- later er was Wright an in English expert experimentalist mentalist enabled to announce the discovery of a pre pre- preventive preventive pre preventive scrum which when in- in inoculated Inoculated in inoculated into susceptible persons rendered them immune to 10 this disease for tor file Il fh e or six years ears nt at least In 1881 1111 Koch announced the discovery o of the tubercle bacillus the specific cause of all forms of tuberculosis and while neither prophylactic nor curative specific means have hav since been discovered our knowledge of this subject has advanced an in extraordinary degree and as a II consequence the mor mor- mortality mortality mortality rate has ha be been n reduced BO 55 5 per p r cent during the last two dec decades dec dec- decades decades ades The Tho germ or 01 bacillus that causes diphtheria was discovered In 1883 lt 3 by Klebs and first cultivated cultivated cultivated by Loeffler a n year yar later laler but It was many miny years after alter that diphtheria diphtheria diphtheria theria toxin anti-toxin was given to 10 the medical world by Von Behring and still many years ears later laler before toxin toxin anti-toxin which Is a safe and dependable specific preventive preventive preventive tive of that dreaded disease was made available for use Similar additional illustrations illustrations might be bo given riven but enough have been presented to show that pre pre- preventive pre preventive medicine Is a potent tac- tac factor fac factor tor from the tho viewpoint of human welfare Scientific knowledge ofa of oC oCa ofa a subject however thorough I is without any definite unless It has its human or practical side Unfortunately our positive knowledge knowl- knowl knowl edge edgo Is often far tar in advance of our performance due to both pro pro- professional pro professional and public indifference Indifference ence The operation co-operation of Individual men women and children is an absolute necessity In the practical application of the scientific dis- dis dis discoveries s such as those mentioned above It is believed by Dr Park Pari and other scientific men that diphtheria could bo be eradicated In five years ears If It toxin toxin anti were universally used in susceptible children between the ages of six months and 10 years ears Most Moat au authorities au- au authorities authorities recommend that this agent be used in children from six sh months to four years of age without first employing the Schick test to determine whether or not they are susceptible Tho The public should demand these preventive Inoculations against diseases disease are arc preventable Indeed Increased Interest on the part of the educated public Is ur ur- ur urgently gently needed to enjoy the full benefits of o medical progress |