The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-27
Germs of yellow Fever.

Bacteriologists of the New Orleans
Board of Health have for some months
been investigating the yellow fever germ
along the lines of the discovery of Prof.
Sanarelli, of the University of Monte
video. Il was demonstrated by Sanareli
that he had discovered the germ through
the fact that he had succeeded in produc-
ing typical yellow fever in a number of
subjects, including mice, guinea pigs. rab-
bits, dogs, goats, horses, and even men,
by inoculatng the subjects with the cul-
lures propagated by him in his glass tubes
and bottles. The fnvariable regularity and
certainty with which yellow fever follow
ed his NEGOTIATIONS proved that he had
discovered the true yellow fever bacillus.
But, Notwithstanding his success in $50
lating the germ, Sanarelli could not find
the specific bacillus in all. of the cases of
true yellow fever which he examined. In
deed, he found 1t in only AZ per cent. of
such cases. There was, therefore, a wide
margin for doubt in diagnoses made by
the Sanarelli method. The New Orleans
doctors, who had received some of the
cultures from Prof. Sanarelli set to
work to elaborate upon his plans, and, if
possible, add to them so that a reliable
test for the germs might be discovered.
AT a meeting of the New orleans Medical
Society held last week the announcement
was made that DR.. Archinarl, bacteriolo-
gist of the State Board of Health, and
his assistants, had evolved a test for vel
low fever bacilh which had proven sue
cessful in between 81 and 80 per cent. of
the cases experimental upon.
According TO the report by the Archi-
nard test, which is said to be a simple
process, it is possible to tell with accu-
racy whether the fever patient is suffer-
ing from yellow fever or not. This be-
ing true, it is easy to understand that a
most important step in advance has been
taken in the fight against the saffron de-
stroyer. The manner in which the test is
made is thus described, upon authority,
in the New Orleans Times-Democrat:
A drop of blood is taken from the lobe
of the ear of the patient and dissolved in
| twenty ,ettmes4 its volume of steriliZed
| water. The doctor then takes his culture
| tube bouillon of fever germs and puts the
| dissolved blood in it, Ia the culture tube
| are colonies of yellow fever germs which
| have been active and increasing for TWEEN
| ty-four hours. In from five TO thirty min
! utes after the drop of suspected blood dis
solved in twenty times its volume is put
| into the culture tube. the germs in the
| blood become agglutinated, motionless,
and mobility ceases entirely, which shows
| that the blood is that of a yellow fever
patient. If, however, when the dissolved
! blood is placed in the culture tube of yell
| low fever germs they are not affected by
the mixture and agglutination does not
| take place. then it is not yellow fever.
! Having advanced thus far in the war
fare against the fever it remains now for
the scientists to discover a curative Sc
rum. The information is that Prof. San
arelli is now at work with that objees in
view, and that he has made progress
I which he regards as quite satisfactory.
He will have the cooperation of the
American psychologists, and between
them it is not too much to expect that a
curative serum will be brought forth be-
| fore a great while.