The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-29
VACCINATION POINTS.
How the Virus Is Obtained Vaccine
Farm-4O, 900 Points Daily.


Farm-4O,O0O Points Daily.
Philadelphia Press.
A visit of inspection was paid to-day to the
vaccine farm which is now turning out every
Gay between 3o'UoO ana 4o.ooo points,, wnlcn
means the same number of vaccinations There
is SO much public misconception To the
method of obtaining the virus which, ever since
JenEers discovery. has been the great prevent
i've of dread plague, that brief account of the
processes followed the Alexander farm will
be at this time of general interest
Marietta stretches along the eastern bank of
the SusQuehanna river, at the extreme end of
the great Lancaster valley. which is often
term ed 1.-THE garden spot of Pennsylvania No
where is the soil uniformly fertile, and from
the top af Chiquie's rock Tor Chckies rocks. as
a barnyard substitute for the name of an Indian
chief would have it,, just below Marietta. the
the eye can rove over many square miles of
fields. checkered with the green of sproutng
winter wheat and the dun loan of plowed fields
On this land, worth from 5000 to $500 per acre.
thoroughly healthy specimens of thoroughbred
Jersey, Suffolk and Helstein cattle raised.
Carefully selected heifers. from eight to ten
months old, of these breeds the heal.hful
vehicle utilized to furnish the virus which. i'm
planted in the human blood. ,edicai science has
proved, will prevent the small-p> x.
the heifer. young and clean -limbed, gentle
eyed and innocent of all knowledge of either
science or disease, is hired of the farmer who is
raising her. The animals pedigree is known
for generations back and the crops in which she
and her forbears have fed are the richest in the
State The heller is carefully led into wagon
specially designed for her transportation and
wheeled as delicately child in baby
riage to the vaccine farm. There she is unload
every hair is as clean soap and warm water
can make it, curried frequently, and fed for
several DAYS on carefully prepared bran and mid
dhDgs When her skin Is as soft and her hair
as silky as kittens. and when nature gives
every Indication that her health is perfect, the
heifer is led TO the operating-room.
Meekly she follows her leaders, ruddy-cheeked
sons of bronzed farmers, soon to become animal
surgeons Calmly, but with wondering eyes.
she suffers herself to be led to the side of So
called table," framework supported by four
legs Pretty heifers eyes grow a little anxious
V-shaped wooden crib. padded with leather,
is lowered upon her back and three broad
leather straps. fastened to the crib. are passed
under her belly and tightly buckled. Perhaps
she wonders whether she is to turn horse and
carry this strange saddle: but her wonder
whatever it may be, changes TO fright when.
with the turning of a windlass, she is lifted off
her feet, turns upside down in the air and is
swung in this position gently to the operating
table. Here her head and neck are firmly
strapped to a padded pillar, her feet are bound
70 strong uprights aud her tail tied to one of the
legs of tho table. Poor Bossy cannot move a
limb. Her gentle eyes roll upward in fright
and she witches the muscles of her silky chest
with nervous apprehension.
One of the men at the foot of the table siezes
o basin of warm water and some soap. and care
fully washes the inside of the thighs of the pros
rrate beast. This thoroughly dore, with sharp
razor the hair Is shaved from surface about six
inches wide and two feet long, exposing vel
vety skin. This skin is again thoroughly
washed aud dried, aud then one of the Attendan rs
siaps it with his hand until the surface grows
scarlet Autumn leaf. The purpose of this
spanking is to stimulate the local circulation.
The next step ia the inoc ulation. With large
lancet the operator scrapes the tender skin
each leg IN six or seven places. leaving spots
three times IS big as dollar from which the
epithelium has been removed. The spots
look red blood but the patient heifer seems
not TO suffer. Then large ivory point ten
times as big as is used in human patient and
heavily charged with virus is rubbed over each
sDot until the serum of the blood is brought TO
the surface and thoroughly mingled with the vi
rus. The heifer is now inoculated with s.cowpox"
and is led away without exposure to the outer
air to a clean. sweet smelling stable, where she
: takes har place IN long row of other patients.
Here she is watched night and day. and receives
rs much attention sick emperor might ex-
act. Al the eud of eight days the disease has
reached its height, and the .'cowpox" virus has