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Dr. Vaughan's New Discovery

Dr. Vaughan's New Discovery image
Parent Issue
Day
17
Month
July
Year
1890
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

When college is in session, Prof. V. C. Vaughan may be found at the hygienic laboratory, almoet every afternoon, hard at work with some mysterioue little things whioh he calh "gering." As a result of this study, he has already made a number of useful discoveries, whioh have won considerable fame for the doctor. His latest work has been the analysis of the poiBon which constitutes the essence of cholera infantum and diphtheria, and a recent number of the Philadelphia Record has s long article on the subject, from which the followirig extracts are taken : Dr. Vaughan alleges that these disease9 are cauwd by albuminous poisons, which hë has discovered. Full well acquainted with the character of this deadly substance, he hopes to discover an antidote, which may be introduced into the system as vaccine is in small-pox cases, and which will act similarly in fortifying the system against cholera and diphtheria. Tne poison is generated by geruis in the alimentary canal, just as ferment ís generated when yeast is put in dough. Heat is necessary for the fermentatinn, and that is why the diseases are more prevalent in hot weather than in cold. Dr. Vaaghan took the germc,with which he experimented, from the dead bodies of persons who died of the diseases, and by feeding them on sterilized meat he succeeded in producing the genuine poison in Iarge quantities. Dr. William H. Ford, of Philadelphia, president of the board of healtb, said yesterday: " Dr. Vaughan's discovery ia a theory. It will be teated by other experts before it will be accepted. The iact that such poisons exist in the alimentary canal of persons suffering with the disease is not new. The only new tbing is that Dr. Vaughan has found this poison and separated it from the germ which produced it. The tendency of medical thought is to ascribe cholera infantum to poieonous germs. Some doctors gave antiseptics to kill the germ, but this tre&tment is usually accompanied with the death of the patiënt. If an antidote for the poison can be discovered - that is,soaiething that will not harm the patiënt, and will destroy the poison - then Dr. Vaughan will have conferred a lasting boon upjn humanity. But it ig not an easy tbing to do, for what will l:ill a germ or poison in a test-tube will not do it always in the body, for it hasn't the same opportunitv to act." Prof. Roberts Bartholow, of the Jefferson Medical College, was very outspoken in his praise of Dr. Vaughan and his latest discovery. He said : " This is altogether new; we never knew anything about it before, although the existence of the germ was known. Dr. Vaughan has just found the poison which produces typhoid fever and cholera infantum. This discovery will have a great effect upon medical science and practice, and it will undoubtedly be the meaas of saving thousands of human lives every year. I regard it as one of the moet important gifts to the world since Jenner discovered the use of vaccination to prevent smallpox. I don't think he will be long in finding an antidote for the poison which he has eliminated, and these fearfully devastating summer weeks will be robbed of their terror. Typhoid fever and cholera infantum can then be prevented by inoculation. The germs will get into the body just as they do now, but the poison generated by them will leave no effect upon the system." Said another gentleman, probably the ablest bacteriologist in Pennsylvania, anda physician who is every day making practical tests with germ9, their growth and products, but who desired his name withheld: "An Italian physician has been working on the same line as Dr. Vaugban, and trying to discover the same thing. The American has carne out ahead. It is much harder to kill a germ than a poison For a long time, it was supposed that the growth of germs caused death, but now we know that the poison, which is the outgrjwth of the germ, is the fatal thing. I think it is sliphtly improbable that Dr. Vaughan can discover an antidote for the poison."

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Ann Arbor Register