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the newly admitted cases into two groups-one containing doubtful and
moribund cases, and the other cases of undoubted Plague (not obviously
moribund). The inoculated and the control cases were taken solely
from the second group, every alternate one being inoculated, and the
remainder forming the control cases. At first the quantity of serum in-
jected was 20 c.c. daily in one dose, later on 10 c.c. were injected in
the evenings as a second dose, and still later the morning dose was in-
creased to 30 c.c. These doses not having any effect, they were further
increased to 40 c.c. in the morning and 20 c.c. at night (more than
half of the cases ware treated with the latter doses). In seventeen of the
cases the blood was examined for bacilli and in thirteen of these the
bacilli were found in a drop of blood obtained from the buboes during
life, and in one case 1 hours after death. In twenty-six cases out of
thirty-four albumen was found in the urine.
The following tabular statement gives comparative results of the
inoculated and control cases :-
Results.
Inoculated.
Control.
Discharged cured
2
0
Deaths
39
40
Under treatment
1
1
Convalescent
8
9
Totals ...
50
50
Dr. Jassenski sums up the results of his experiments as follows :-
In general terms the effects of the injections of the Russian serum
have been negative. In some cases the temperature fell and the
patient felt better after the injections, but it is doubtful whether the
phenomena should be ascribed to the injections. No harmful results
were noted in any case, whether on the heart, the kidneys, or any other
organ. Finally, from the above results, but one conclusion is possible,
that the serum prepared in St. Petersburg and employed by me in the
above cases, is an absolutely indifferent substance, with no influence,
either for good or evil, on the course of Acute Plague.
10. Various other methods of treatment were adopted, based upon
special indications in each case, but no method was observed to have
any advantage over others, and success depended mainly on early attend-
ance to cases, absolute rest until about a week after the subsidence of
all acute symptoms, supporting the powers by stimulants, and relieving
insomnia by narcotics.