The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-28
YELLOW JACK COMMISSION
THE GOVERNMENT JUSTIFIED IN
ORGANIZING ONE
To Test the Value Of incubation as
Preventive Against the Spread
Of the Disease.

An ApPEAL reporter calleo Yesterday
on DIR. Purdon, al his rooms in the
Gayoso Hotel, with the object of ascer-
tanning his views on the utility of the
proposed commission Tor the investi-
cat'ou of certain recent discoveries
said 10 have BEEN made regarding the
protective influence OF incubation
against yellow fever, and which 1t is
hoped will soon receive the sanction OF
the Pr. sident on the recommends
: ton Of the Committee on Com
merce Of the House Of Repre-
SEM ltiyee. As DR.. Purdon re-
sided for many years in India while
serving in the British army, aud was
thus necest arily brought into close
relation with the government proceed
ings for the prevention OF disesse and
the preservation Of good general sani.
tation in epidemic times, the reporter
felt SAITH fed that the answers he would
receive 20 his questions would be prac-
tical aud to the point.
"Do you think, dot tor, thai such al
\ Investigation as that into the protect.
tive effect OF incubation should be
undertaken by the government or left
TO the discrimination OF private
eavsntsP"
81 think it is the duty Of the State to
take the came precautions TO repel the
advance of pestilence that 1t would
adopt in the face olaninyadiDg army"
"Do you think that the results would
be more effective and reliable in the
hands of a government commission p
Certainly time would be saved and
better oppoi tuDiies OF investigation
would be offered to the members ofthe
lcommission as such. Besides, the
lcountry will have the opinions Of only
the best men of the medical profess
sion in the case OF the commission /;
whereas, if the question is left to
the profession at large opinions will
conflict and time will be lost in arriv-
Ing at the true conclusion. We saw
recently how far from universal the
.nbrofessional verdict in America wac
from indorsing Pesteur's opinion re-
garding the protective efforts OF inoc-
ulation in cases t hydrophobia."
Taking vaccir alton as the typical
instance OF protective influence against
q deadly form OF disease, how is II that
such an outcry has, in certain in
stancer, been raised against its use as
inoperativeW
1.-THE fact IL, the prophylactlc action
OF the vaccine virus is lost, or becomes
greatly deterioTated, II II be allowed
8 pass through too many human be-
ngs; that does not, however, make
gainst vaccination as the most power
ul guardian OF human life. The av-
rage life has had three years added TO
through the reduction OF deaths
rom smallpox alone. Vaccination
hould not be credited with the errors
II insufficient knowledge Of the prac-
ltioneIs."
"What do you regard as the essential
allure of vaccination or incubation ?"
"The introduction into the living Or
aniem OF the famed virus, which thus
,kes up the ground which might
herwise be occupied by the more
alienant variety Of this same species.
is, II q wolf dog, the old Irish wolf
I, you know, the finest in the world,
been takeninto the house TO guard
children against the wolves out
To-"
SeWhat leads you TO lay such stress
on the expression tanned virus"
" made use Of the expression hav-
ing In mind certain experiments Of
Pesteur. In the report he made OF
the nature Of chicken cholera he de-
'cribes the process OF tanning viru-
at form Of microbe and reducing IL
to benign and protective agent. II
the point OF a needle be dipped in the
bl0Dd OF fowl suffering from chicken
CHOLERA aud be then introduced into q
vessel containing pure chicken soup,
tTom which care has been taken to
exclude all foreign germs, and suita-
lie temperature be maintained, IN q
ondelfully short time the clear soup
II be more cloudy, through multi.
cation Of the specific microbe and
ated bacteria II a drop OF this
argsd soup be introduced into a
ish vessel of clear chicken coup the
me change will 60 on, and
Zen from that to aeother, aud
I. } on, the last having as deadly
'Sect on fowl as the first. But II
OF pushing on these cult
rapidly the first vessel be al
10 remain over for some weeks
tbs, Pasteur discovered that an
binary change results. The
INT powers OF this bacterium
h; 1t becomes tanned, or, as he
il, 'attenuAted.' A given
of injected chicken broth,
the hundTedth rapid culliva-
noculated upon twenty chick
ould, let us tay, be fatal to
Of them. II the same iniu-
Q allowed 10 remain exposed
xygen OF the air for month
be so far attenuated that II
oily prove fatal, say, to ten.
Nor another month would
ttlll less virulent, 90 that il
My prove fatal t. two or
lille Sfter exposure for six OF
tbs it would not prove fatal
hinsia nce. That was q dis
which man might we'll
L"
It does the baoterium Of the
holera still retain any active
\ If 80, what relation does II
J the original disease ?"
tost attenuat ed form the bac-
rs rise only to trihing local
:, not q tirst recognizable as
ny sfiinity to the deadly
Ca, and consisting OF small
nh. But the extraordinary
ode fact discovered by NJ.
"a. the tanned and attenu-
I'm works on the system
's,ective against aubsG quent
owl Oh olera exactly similar
,.ch had been remarked to
by foWlthat had ret overed
Drulent form OF the disease.
7. is a result exactly analo-
ct experienced in the pl
,trcised by vaccination With
against subsequent attacks
K; only in the one case the
sirius has been elaborated
ushop of nature herself; in
+, thai Of art. You now UNI
nat tanning a virus is.
dthink, doctor, is it possible
aoy idea as TO how vaccina-
inoculaiion acts in preventing
p"