How did they make diphtheria antitoxin?

Scientists learned to harness the immune systems of some animals to produce antitoxin serums to use as medicines. Diphtheria antitoxin was one of these medicines. Doctors used diphteria antitoxin to treat and prevent diphtheria, an often deadly childhood disease. 1. read more

Diphtheria antitoxin was one of these medicines. Doctors used diphteria antitoxin to treat and prevent diphtheria, an often deadly childhood disease. 1. Scientists grow diphtheria-causing bacteria in the laboratory and harvest its toxin. 2. Next, researchers inject horses with the diphtheria toxin. read more

The first doses of what became a steady supply of diphtheria antitoxin were available on Jan. 1, 1895. The results were striking. In 1894, there were 2,870 diphtheria deaths in New York City; by 1900, the number was down to 1,400, and it declined steadily in the following decades. read more