Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-14
Preparation of a Cure for Chol-
era Based or the Princi-
pies Of Or, Koch.
HOW GERMS ARE GOTTEN
And How Tney Are Treated for In
lection Into the Animals.
TIE EXPERIMENTS At NEW YORK.
Lupus Yields Readily and Good Results in
Phthisis Expected.
EIGHT PEOPLE Die FROM THE INJECTION
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT

TFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-It seems thatin-
stead of going TO Berlin for a sensation in
the way of wonderful cure for what are
known rs germ diseases, or those that arise
from the presence OF bacteria, Americans
need have gone no further than the Bureau
of Animal Industry here In Washington.
For scme time such diseases have been sue
cessfully treated by infections of lymph,
procured very much as DIR. Koch procures
his remedy.
The department of veterinary work is
under the direction Of DIR. Won Schmeinitz,
the chemist of the bureau. The experi-
ments have been extended over a period of
several years and have dealt chiefly with
hog cholera, which has destroyed a vast
quantity of swine everywhere. but thev have
also been made in the case of other diseases
in other animals. The success OF the dis
coyery is apparently assured.
For over six months the doctor has been
studying the cholera germ. and to a reporter
who found him in his laboratory at the De-
partmeut, to-day, he spoke very hopefully
ofthe probable results of his discovery.
"DrS. Salmon and Smith," said ne. ''did
the pioneer work in preventative inoculation
with other than some form of the germ of the
disease itself, and this recent work was OF
course under the advice and direction of DIR.
G,1. of
1Edustrv.
The Cholera Germs Located.
Without the careful meteorological
study of hog cEoIera, which has been made
by the Bureau OF Animal Industry, this
work would have been impossible. From a
scientific standpoint, our investigation has
proved very successful, though it is too
early, perhaps, to speak of its practical
working. The cholera germ has been To-
Gated and studied, and here in these little
bottles you see its opposite, the cholera pre-
ventative."
In the two bottles were a number OF
white particles that might have been one of
good many things, but that DR.. Won
Schmeinitz characterized as poisons; one an
ala2loid and the other an albumenoid
Continuing, he explained what they were
and how they were devised:
The first thing to do, YOU must under
stand" continued the doctor, sis to procure
tine cholera germ. This is taken rom the
liver or snleen of hog that has died Of the
disease. The point o. a platinu,a wire is
touched to the diseased portion, and a num-
L. e 81
to the wire Then these germs are
placed upon gelauue in a glass tube.
This gelatine, of course, has first to be
sterilized or freed from all organic lie.
This is d. = b heating to the boiling point
or highs'. The gelatine tube is then placed
in the incubator: that is, an oven that can
be kept at a const mt temperature. There
tine germs generate and increase so rapidly
that before long thev form quite a consider
able star-shaped substance in the gelatine.
By means of the wire few of these germs
are transferred and placed in a quantity of
beef BROTH that has likewise been sterilized.
Feeding Germs on Beef Broth.
This is kept at temperature of about
1859, and the germs feed on the broth and
increase, so that the liquid that was quite
clear at first soon becomes cIouded with
them. Their presence and feeding there
make the two poisous that you saw. The
germs are removed, the liquid filtered, and
by means Of chemical aids the two poisons
are removed. Either one of these is a
preventive of tie disease, and the Fame is
true Of the swine plague germ and its two
poisoHs that have been treated and studied
in the same wav.
Either one of the poisons is dissolved in
water and very small quantity OF the
weak solution is injected under the skin
of the animal by means of an ordinary hypo-
dermic syringe. An animal so inoculated
is proOf against the disease and will not be
affected bv it.
Experimenting on Guinea Pigs.
For example, a number of disease germs
were injected in guinea pigs, some of which
had been inoculated and the remainder of
which had not. Of the latter every one died
IN eight or niue days, while of those that
were treated not one was affected bv the
germs IN the least. The same experiment is
now being tried in the case of hogs and the
results so far have been highly satisfactory"
Can the same method be used in the case
of other diseases?''
'lG all probability every germ disease
can be treated in the same general vov
Each one, OF course, must be studied sem
arstely, the proper germ found, the right
sort OF nutriment provided for them to in
crease upon, as in the case of the broth and
the cholera germs, and the poisons must be
chemically removed. But, as L say, can
see no reason why this may not be success
fully done in the case of all germ diseases"
LIGHTNER.