25
Table No. 4.
Serial
No.
1
2
3
4
5
Laboratory
No.
347
348
333
334
335
Body weight by
scale.
lbs.
425
418
367
414
499
Date of
Inoculation
3rd May 1900.
Ditto
Ditto
Ditto
Ditto
Serum per
600 lbs.
c. c.
5
10
15
20
25
Actual quantity
serum injected
as per body
weight.
c. c.
3.54
6.96
9.10
13.80
20.79
Virulent
blood.
c. c.
1
1
1
1
1
REMARKS.
Temperature reaction.
No reaction.
No reaction.
No reaction.
Developed symptoms,
Gastro-enteritis from
cold and exposure.
21. Serum preparation by precipitated method.—Protective serum pre-
pared by the clotting method in glass vessels standing in the cold for periods
varying from 8 to 14 days, was found on microscopical examination and by
culture experiments to contain large numbers of micro-organisms although the
serum had 0.5 per cent. carbolic acid added to it, before being stored in the cold
room for future use. In the event of allowing these organisms to remain in the
serum to be issued, it was feared that in addition to producing metabolic
chemical products on their own account, they might also render ineffective or
reduce the protective power of the serum against rinderpest. At that time
it had not been proved by experiment how long any given sample of serum
could maintain its initial strength in this country. Three ways of combating
the loss that would otherwise take place were patent, in addition to the effect
produced by increasing the percentage of carbolic added :—
(i) To pass the protective serum through a Pasteur-Chamberlain or
Berkfeld filter, and after trials on animals ascertain its value
as a protective agent.
(ii) To collect after precipitation or by some other method the active
principle of the rinderpest serum, and obtain in solid form a
material capable of being retained for considerable periods with-
out deterioration, and when required capable of being prepared
in a liquid form for injection purposes.
(iii) Drying "in vacuo" the fluid serum, in the form of very thin
flakes.
Unfortunately owing to the loss of the Laboratory and its contents by
fire, the necessary scientific instruments and apparatus were unobtainable,
therefore the preparation of the material was executed in the crudest form.
The results of these experiments were as follows :—
(i) This experiment had to be postponed until the necessary apparatus
arrived, and is not yet completed.
(ii) Protective serum was mixed with twelve times its volume of a
mixture of absolute alcohol and ether and after 24 hours the
precipitate washed, collected and dried. The following experi-
ments were made with regard to the efficacy of the precipitate.
Plains Goat, No. I, aged 5 years, female, body weight about 30 lbs. (in poor
condition) was inoculated by the simultaneous method with 1 gramme of the
precipitated serum in 10 c. c. physiological salt solution on the one side, and
0.25 c. c. virulent rinderpest blood on the opposite side of the body. The
temperature rose to 41° C. on the evening of the 4th day after inoculation
and death supervened on the 8th day.
Result.—Animal succumbed to well-marked attack of rinderpest, insuffici-
ent amount of serum. Flukes in liver, post-mortem.
Plains Goat, No. II, aged 6 years, female, in very poor condition, body
weight about 30 lbs., was inoculated by the simultaneous method 1.8 grammes
of the precipitated serum in a weak solution of slightly alkaline glycerine and
salt solution on the one side, and 0.25 c. c. virulent blood on the opposite side
of the body. The morning temperature which, before inoculation, registered