Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-27
VACCINE VIRUS.
How and Where it is Obtained-The
Method Of Obtaining the Lymph
from Cows.
The Different Methods Used to Convey
and Preserve It-A Marvel OF Skill
and Ingenuity.

Since Edward Jenner discovered the Won
| derful protective properties OF vaccination in
the year 1896, experience has shown the
operation to be the best preventive Of small
pox known to the science of medicine.
/ Thinking il would be of interest to the pub
lie to know how bovine virus is obtained, a
RdiRds1LeT representative visited Or. j.
Pettet at his vaccine farm on Mayfield
| street, in East Cleveland, was cordially re-
ceived and shown about the farm and stabIss
the doctor explaining as they went. Every-
4 thing was arranged in the most convenient
manner possible and kept in the best of
( order. The operating room where the virus
/ is propagated Is marvel of skill and in
genuity, and complete in every particular.
/ DIR. PeJtets methods are purely his own, and
| they certainly are very good ones. During
| the tour of inspection the following interview
| took place:
/ "Doctor, if it is not a secret, will you
please explain your method Of propagatlng
vaccine virus?"
"Daring the first years OF my vaccine ex-
perience / used heller calves exclusively,
| selecting the bes / could find. | found con-
siderable difficulty in getting proper supplies
and in feeding them. After considerable
study of the subject, l filled a stable with
new mich cows with which TO suckle them.
This l soon found impracticable without first
vaccinatiDg the COWS themselves, and thus l
gradually fell into the practice of using COW
| lymph This / found much more relia-
bic and superior to calf lymph, and much
more easily obtained, and in so much larger
quantities, that | gradually abandoned the
use OF calves almost entirely, and for the
last six or seven wears have used mich cows
exclusively. This | believe to be the natural
seat of the disease. | believe the use of
calves especially il too young, results in the
degeneration of the vaccine disease and the
production OF what is known among propsga-
gors as a strawberry excres nee. Ny persoaal
process is very simple. In order to secure all
the vaccine when mature and be able to make
neat work, the most available part of the
milk gland and adjacent to it are shaved
closely and sponged off clean. Then with
sharp lancet the shaven surface is covered
with scari6cations. Into these little cut sur
faces a small quantity OF warm fluid lymph,
taken direct from an animal in the next stall,
il then gently but thoroughly and persistent
ly rubbed until the operator is satisfied that
the operation has been successful. The ami
NAL is then removed from the operating stall |
and placed upon an elevated platform, with |
proper accommodations, and allowed to re- !
main comfortably situated until the disease |
reaches its critical stage, when she Is again |
placed in the operating stall. This is gener- |
ally seven days from the time of the first op- /
Grafton At this time the points of insertion /
OF the RICE ma have become swollen and ell |
eyated, and have assumed the ap- |
Dearance of blister with a |
small brown spot in the center,
which is depressed. The covering of this |
blister or vesicle ia then punctured or even
removed. This gives opportunity to gather
the limpid contents of the vesicle upon small |
ivory Fpatulas, very similar in size and |
shape to common penknife blade. The /
serun-or vaccine lymph ii is called |
continues to be secreted for some time after
ward, and finally the secretion becomes |
thickened and gummy, clogging up the
mouths of the vessels and driving down into |
what is known as scale crust or scale This |
is hard and firm enough to remove in from /
four to eight days later, at which time it con-
sists of hair, epitheliHm, cell membrane and |
other foreign material, in addition to the |
small quantity of dry lymph"
GLOW long have you been engaged in this
work."
"Since myself had the smallpox in the
fall of 1870. Six years ago reinquished
the general practice of mediciae and have
since then devoted my whole time and alien
ton to this work. In quiet times doing it
all alone, aud at all times giving ii my per-
sonal oversight and the benefit of my long
experience"
From what extent of country do you re-
ceive spplic atoms TOR viru.?'
"China side, England another,
Central America on another, AMI British
Columbia and Canada on the north; Texas,
and every approachable corner within these
boundaries"
"What does your business indicate as to
the prevalence of smallpox i'll this country
mpared with past yearsY
81 do not think America has ever before
been visited with such scourge of small
pox."
SIN how many shapes do you prepare vac
cine virus? And will you please describe
each manner of putting it up and the var
ious transformations the matter undergoes
from the time it is removed from the cows
udder until it is absorbed into the human
system through vaccination, explaining the
preparation Of points, packages etc~
'rhe ivory lancets, after being dried thor
oughly in drying closet, are put in pack
ages of ten and enveloped in gutta percha
tissue or self-sealing water and air-tight rub
Der. Sometimes in silvered paper boxes and
again in rubber. These are put into labeled
envelopes on which are marked the register
of each point contained therein. The points
that have been dipped from the lymph of
two animals are called XX, and are sold in
packages of ten for 81. Some are again re-
dipped, labeled xxx and sold in packages
of five for 81. The Xxx are warranted for
five days as packages only The xxx are
each warranted separately for two weeks
after purchase. Having a heavier coating,
they keep their vitality longer. When vac
cine becomes old it seems to die, so to speak,
and it's use produces no effect; or, if any, acts
very slowly, it sometimes being two or three
weeks before its presence becomes known.
Quilts are prepared for being charged. The
Russian quilts seem to be the finest. On ac-
count of the inconvenience in handling, pre-
pairing, shipping and using quIlls, l only put
them up TO order and in times of leisure.
Capillary tubes of fluid lymph are filled
direct from the animal and Theoretically
sealed at once. On account OF their unrelia-
bility l have not prepared any for about six
years.
A WHITE SLAVE.