Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-03-09
How Vaccine Virus is Manufactured.


From the Springfield MASS Republican
DR.. Henry A. Martin, of Boston, some
time ago took up the business of fur
nshing physicians with lymph for vac
clnation purposes, derived directly from
heifers inoculated with the COW. pox,
finds the business growing greatly on
his hands, and the lymph extiaordihari
ly in demand, so that he has given up all
his practice, save surgery and vaccina-
ton, and devotes all his time and ener-
gies TO his specially. What would seem,
al first thought, the least possible source
OF Inconvenience, has proved to DIR.
Martin the most troublesome that is,
to secure sufficient and constant sup
Ply of animals. For the purpose of vac
cination and the supply OF lymph, only
helter calves of three to six months are
used, and the Ut oSt care is observed
to secure only the healthiest and most
suitable individuals. This necessitates
a supply of about 800 per year, at pres
ent, and soon double that number will
be required. A semsatirical paragraph
in New York paper, recently repre-
scented that DR.. Martin has " shaved the
abdomen of a calf, and keeps the I'M
happy creature in a state of unceasing
varloloid.' This Is not only untrue,
but impossible. A revaccination on
heifer which has recently enjoyed term
of the cow-pox would be as ineffective
as similar operation on a craven image.
The term of the disease in the bovine is
less than two weeks. and only from the
sixth to the seventh day are the pustules
at the state required for the collection
of lymph. Accordingly fresh animal
has to be brought into requisition for
each successive incubation. The room
in which the heifers are kept is light,
warm, and airy, perfectly furnished
room, indeed. with plastered walls and
and ceiling, and the stalls are built with
as great regard to comfort and neatuess
as those OF a gentleman's stable. Dry
sawdust is furnished for bedding. and
the best hay with meal mashes for food.
Under the large south window stands a
peculiar cooperating table," with top
which folds down, two projecting arms
then coming to the floor, as if forming
extra legs. The heiter selected is led
out, placed alongside this table, and its
fore feet secured by fastenings already
attached to one arm. and its hind legs
in like manner to the other A stout
belt encircles its body and the flat top of
the table, and halter and neck strap
hold its head in place at one corner
Then the whole top is tilted up to place
and secured, and the bovine MARTYR is
recumbent on one side upon the top of
the table. A portion of its abdomen,
about the size of two full-grown hands,
is then shaved clean, and the vaccine
virus from another heiter, at the seventh
day OF the disease, is inserted in little
punctures arranged in rows an inch
apart each way. The table top is again
canted down, and the little beast re-
leased and installed till six or seven
days after, when its vesicles are ripe for
the supply of lymph to another heifer
and the human race i'll general. 1t is
then replaced on the table, and the
operator, taking Il box of small ivory
points, prepared for that purpose, rack
Tor the same to dry on, and pair of
peculiar shaped, slim pliers, seats him,
self at the side of the table With the
pliers he gently squeezes each pustule in
turn, and as the lymph oozes forth, care
| fully collects it on the ivory points.
From good yielding animal several
hundred points can be charged. This
done, the heiter returns to her stall and
remains few days longer, when the
"crusts having matured, are carefully
taken Oft and amounted" in Cutta
percha for the use of those physicians
who prefer this form of administration.
The heiter then, having fulfilled its
mission in the cause of science, return
| 10 10 ha
Quoted with such care to avoid unneces-
sary suffering or even inconvenience
to the animal, that it frequently goes to
sleep on the table and does not evince
any pain. Two agents of the Society
for the prevention of Cruelty to Ami.
mails recently visited DR.. Martin, and
after seeing the whole process, declared
themselves satisfied that no cruelty was
inflicted. The ivory points, after being
charged and becoming dry, are carefully
put up, ten in Il bunch, and wound with
cotton fibre. Then white paper is
wrapped around them, ard lastly rubber
tissue, which is sealed at the end, pro
ducing water-tight and air-tight pack
age. These then are packed in any de
sired quantity and shipped to fill orders
Some idea of the extent of the doctors
business in the supply of pure COW pox
points and "crusts' can be gained
from the fact that on Friday 1000 were
shipped to Washington, d. c., to the
Board Of Health-making 5000 points
furnished that city, where, through tne
inetficiency of the old virus, people had
entirely lost their faith in vaccination,
and smallpox was spreading, but since
the introduction of the animal vaccine,
| the most wonderful results have been
reached-and that he is supplying st.
Louis, San Francisco, and over 1000
other cities and towns in this country,
besides legions of physicians in private
practice.
An Embezzler who Cannot be Punished
There is law which provides that a
witness examined before a committee OF
Congress shall not be proceeded against
in the courts touching any matter upon