toxin-antitoxin

American  

[tok-sin-an-ti-tok-sin, -an-tee-, -an-ti-tok-sin, -an-tee-] / ˈtɒk sɪnˌæn tɪˈtɒk sɪn, -ˌæn ti-, -ˈæn tɪˌtɒk sɪn, -ˈæn ti- /

noun

Immunology.

1. a mixture of toxin and antitoxin, formerly used to induce active immunity against certain diseases, especially diphtheria.

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toxin-antitoxin British  

noun

1. a mixture of a specific toxin and antitoxin. The diphtheria toxin-antitoxin was formerly used in the US for active immunization

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Etymology

Origin of toxin-antitoxin

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Parents in the 1950s were generally enthusiastic about the polio vaccine, but 30 years earlier, parents whose children were encouraged to receive the novel diphtheria toxin-antitoxin were more hesitant.

From Slate

But the Balto story blew up around the time when New York City was about to start pressing for the use of a related preparation known as toxin-antitoxin to immunize as many children as possible.

From Slate

Throughout the 1920s, William Park, laboratory director at the New York City Board of Health, tested the combination of the Schick test and toxin-antitoxin injections at publicly supported institutions, including foundling homes, orphan asylums, and public schools.

From Slate

In all the years New York tested out toxin-antitoxin injections on city kids, there were no major incidents.

From Slate

In Boston, in 1924, a group of children got severe cases of the disease after injections with some toxin-antitoxin that had been frozen and thawed, separating the mixture and reactivating the toxin.

From Slate