ETIOLOGY AND PROPHYLAXIS OF DIPHTHERIA

The Eighth International Congress of Hygiene and Demography, held at Buda-Pesth September 2 to 8, 1894, can be considered as one of the most remarkable and important reunions of representatives of the medical sciences from all countries during the latest times. This can be judged from the reports so far published. One of the most important proceedings of the Congress was the discussion on the etiology and prophylaxis of diphtheria, which may be shortly related in the following: Loffler, from Greifswald in Germany, says that diphtheria is produced by a specific bacillus, whose importance is not doubted any more by anybody. As diphtheria we can consider that affection only which is produced by the Loffler bacillus, excluding all similar affections which are caused by other microorganisms. In fact, we often find diseases of the upper air passages, which give the same picture as genuine diphtheria, but which are caused by