Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-02-04
The rad in Virus.

PARED FROM THE HEIFERS.
One of the largest vaccine farms
in the country is that near Fond du
Lac. Dir. Griffin, President of the
Wisconsin Board of Health, who is
in charge, told a reporter:
81 use the very best animals | can
procure. They are most of them
short-horns, and, as you see, are fat
and hearty. | buy them by the car
load, and then am obliged to select
the stock from which l obtain the
virus. Out Of every consignment of
heifers | buy | have to reject a large
number. Any form of skin disease
II other functional disturbance, even
if the animal is in all other respects
apparently healthy, condemns her"
"Do you use heifers alone in your
business 2"
II very rarely use bull calves;
their virus is just as good, but it is
more difficult to get a perfect opera
tion from them on account of their
tough skins"
The barn was visited, where two
men were vaccinating a heifer. She
was strapped tightly in a narrow
stall. Her tail was elevated by means
of a strap, and the escutcheon, thus
exposed, was carefully shaved with
a raZor. Then the animal was vac
cinated in ten places upon the but
tocks, the scarifcation-about an
inch in diameter-being made with
the point Off sharp knife, two extra
sized points being applied to each
place. This is a long operatian, from
three to five hours being consumed
in vaccinating a single animal. The
n operated on exhibited no signs
of discomfort at her treatment be-
yond an occasional twitching of her
legs.
This operation having been com
pleted, the process of extracting the
virus from another animal was be-
gun. She was a lively little short
horn, and as it was feared she would
not stand still enough in the stall, a
different method of keeping her
quiet was used. She was led along
side a table, the top of which was
hinged SO as to permit its taking a
perpendicular position. She was
firmly strapped to this, and the top
being restored to a horizontal posi-
ton, the animal found herself lying
upon her side before she knew it.
The sores were washed with warm
water, which partially dissolved the
scab, which was then easily removed
with a pair of pincers and the open
sore exposed, from which the liquid
lymph exuded. The ivory points
were dipped in this matter, each
twice, and placed on a tray to dry,
and the operation was complete.
The doctor conducted the reporter
through this stable, which was filled
with calves in all stages of sickness,
from those freshly vaccinated to
those whose sores were almost ready
to burst. A man was busily curry
ing them with comb and brush. The
toilet of Maud s. could not be per-
formed in a more careful and tho
rough manner. The floors were
swept and washed clean, there being
not the slightest trace of stable smell
discernible. Two small coal stoves
were in the stable to keep its tenn
perature even.
"Bovine virus is mostly used in
vaccination now, is it not" was
asked.
SIN the cities, yes; in country prac
tice this rule does not prevail to so
great an extent. The rural doctors
buy a dollars worth of cow.pox
virus, with which they vaccinate ten
persons. Some of these will be healthy
children, the scabs from whose arms
will be as good as any bovine virus.
In the city, where people are less
virtuous than in the country, there
is always danger from using human
lied virus"