being. This hypersensitiveness is manifested by the extraordinary
peculiarity that any number of doses of antitoxin may be given
provided they are administered within a period of less than ten or
twelve days. On the other hand a single minute dose may induce this
state after the period named, and, as we never know whether a
patient is going to develop it or not, it becomes a question as to
the safety of giving a second injection after ten or twelve days
have elapsed following the administration of the initial treatment.
As it is true that this hypersensitiveness once established in
animals may continue throughout life, it becomes a question as to
whether or not it is quite safe to administer antitoxin to an
individual who has had the drug given him at some prior time, and
we are not as yet in a position to definitely determine the risks
that are involved in such a procedure. There is no reason to doubt
that this hypersensitiveness is much less marked in man than in the
lower animals, and there can be no question that it much less
commonly develops, but notwithstanding this it would be the part of
prudence to avoid a second administration of the drug after the
interval referred to in all instances where this seems possible.
Anaphylaxis is thus seen to bear an important relationship to what
is commonly called the "immunizing treatment" to prevent
diphtheria, which consists in giving a moderate dose of antitoxin
to a person immediately after exposure to the disease. Under such
circumstances a degree of immunity is undoubtedly secured, but this
passes off in the course of a few weeks, and the patient then
becomes just as susceptible as he was before. Should he now
contract diphtheria, we would be confronted with the possibility
that the treatment by means of antitoxin might possibly produce
serious and even fatal results.

Occasionally rashes occur several days after the inoculation, but
such disturbances are insignificant except for the immediate
discomfort experienced. Antitoxin concentrated by the Gibson method
has reduced to a considerable extent the number of cases in which
rashes occur.

Treatment other than by antitoxin is symptomatic. Where the disease
occurs in the wind-pipe, it may be necessary to pass a tube into its
upper opening to allow the p