What was Behring's central idea about fighting disease?
My central tenet is that the body's own defense mechanisms, when properly harnessed, can overcome infectious agents. Specifically, for diseases like diphtheria and tetanus, the primary threat is not the microbe itself, but the potent 'Gift' it secretes. My research demonstrated that an animal's blood can develop a counteracting substance – an antitoxin. By isolating and administering this antitoxin through serum, we are essentially providing a ready-made defense. This is not some vague notion; it is a direct chemical interaction, akin to a precise chemical marriage between the poison and its antidote. We must not be led astray by unproductive fancies; the results in the clinic are paramount.
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