Diphtheria is a serious infectious disease of the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Now a rare disease, it ravaged the world in the late nineteenth century and was a major killer of children. Symptoms included sore throat, fever, and body aches. The disease causes yellowish-gray mucous membranes to form and spread on the inner throat and nose. In some cases, the membrane can impede breathing, requiring a life-saving tracheotomy to open the windpipe. The infection can cause fatal damage if it spreads to the heart or kidneys. The disease is spread from person to person by coughing and sneezing and is more common among poor populations living in crowded conditions. The diphtheria bacterium produces toxins carried throughout the body by the bloodstream. These can be neutralized with injections of antitoxin. Antibiotics, such as erythromycin, are also used to treat the disease.

Diphtheria received its name...