[Physician, state and public health: the campaign against diphtheria in Belgium (1894-1914)].

Abstract

On 100 deaths caused by diphtheria in Belgium at the end to the 19th century, 90% had not reached the age of 6. In the beginning of the nineties an antitoxin had been developed against the so called "terror of mothers". Very slowly, the production of sera took place, first of all in Germany, after 1894 in our country too. The battle against diphtheria became the subject of parliamentary debates (in the years 1894-1895 and 1900) and of several comments and articles in the Belgian medical press. The authorities followed the evolution of morbidity closely, commissions were charged with the study of the effectiveness of sera and of the foundation, if necessary, of an institution for serotherapy. As a result of an intensive campaign of serotherapy, the decrease of mortality rates due to diphtheria was sensational after 1910.