SCARLET FEVER.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1926, Page 3

SCARLET FEVER.

- WELLING’i v)N, .May 12. Successful development of tbe use of a new serum for the treatment of scarlet fever in the United States was referred to by Dr AI. H. Watt, Deputy-Director-General of Health, in the course of an interview to-day. During bis recent visit Dr Watt noted with interest the amount of money available for public health work and medical rcsearc bin America'; There were a great number of well endowed institutions, such as tbe Hooper Institute in San Francisco, and tbe AlacCormack Institute in Chicago and the Rockefeller Institute in New York, all of which wore working upon different matters of modi cal interest. Medical schools, such as the Johns Hopkins at Baltimore, the Yale and Toronto schools, bad full time staffs and so were enabled to devote a great deal of time and attention to pure research. “The most striking work with which I came in contact,” said Dr AVatt. “was the development of the use of an anti-toxin for the treatment of scarlet fever. The results of this are almost dramatic in tho prompt disappearance of rash and drop in temperature after its administration. The death rate from scarlet fever lias veen very materially lessened as tbe outcome of this discovery. It would appear that a similar serum for the treatment of measles may be available in the near future. A worker at tho AlacCormack Institute, Chicago, and another at thePaike Davis factory, in Detroit, have lately afforded a. certain amount of evidence -fo show that they have produced independently a serum which may prove of equal value in the treatment of measles.”

In many communities in America, added Dr AVatt. diphtheria has almost been eradicated as a result of adoption of the. method of active immunisation with .anti-toxin. The Now Zealand Department of Health has been endeavouring for the last few years to popularise the use of this method with a. very considerable degree of success. In America, however, it is now well past the experimental stage and there are very few communities that have not done a great deal of work in tins direction.

An improved preparation, known as toxoid, is now being manufactured in America and will probably take the place of tbe anti-toxin formerly used.