Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-02-20
VACCINE AND ANTITOXlN.


pany's plant for the manufacture Of
vaccine virus and antitoxin. The party
comprised DR.. 4. q. Shortlidge, prcsi
dent, and Drs, A. L. Frantz, j. Harvey
Spruance and II. G. Buckmaster of
the Board of Education, Or. James II.
Morgan of the Board Of Health, City
Vaccine Physicians j. P. Malcolm and
Thomas ID. Cook, Drs. j. Harmer Rile,
S. C. Frederick. Peter W. Tomlinson,
Charles NJ. Almond r. p. Harris and
William G. Pierce, Chemist William
Pool Of a. James Belts pharmacy and
representative of The Gazette, e.
Warren Schenk, u representative of the
company, had charge of the arrange.
ments and escorted the guests to and
from Glenolden The general opinion
was that the time was protitahly spent,
The big establishment proved highly
interesting and helpful. The guests
were shown every detail and Hospitality
entertained by the superintendent and
attaches Of tie establishment
The milford Go. has u tract of 30
acres mt Glcnolden station, upon which
are two groups of buildings which arc
magniiicently constructed and arranged
and equipped in u most complete
manner. The group nearest the station
comprises the antitoXin plant and the
vaccine plant is a short distance to the
south. All of the buildings occupy q
commanding site on high ground, and
a short distance to the eastward there
| is Il stream al the foot Of hill, which
affords excellent drainage facilities.
The buildings are constructed Of the
best material The exterior Of each is
attractive and the interior is finished
! in hard wuuA, with enamel walls and
cement tloers Each working room is
drained and all are kept perfectly clean
and they arc fRmigated every few days
| The equipment Is elaborate, as well rs
complete. In addition to the pro
fessors, competent force OF operatives
is employed. AL Of the employees, with
the exception Of the professors and
chemists. are uniformed. the men in
white duck suits and the women in
neat white ana blue striped dresses.
The first place visited was the vaccine
plant the workings of which were fully
demonstrated and explained by DR.. w.
f. Elgin, the bacteriolcgist, who has
| had a wide experience here and abroad
He WIS aided in making the demon
station BY number of assistants
Vaccine virus, as is well known, j:
obtained from calves. When the plan
was visited Thursday there were abou
- calves in various stages Of treat
ment. The calves are from six weeks t.
four months old when they are taker
and are selected from the best stock
When taken to the establishment thu
calf is clipped, then thoroughly scrub
bed with soap and sterilized water
after which its breast is shaved and i
is taken to the operating room, wher
it is inocnlated with virus. Befor
being inoculated, however, the test i
applied for any trace of disease and j
any is found the calf is not used. Afte
being inpculated the calf is taken bacl
to the pens, which are in a heated an,
perfectly sanitary room, where it re
mains for five days, at the expiratio
of which time it is returned to tn
operating room and again strapped t
the operating table and the virus
which is Il crust formation, is removed
Before the virus is taken off the calf
breast is bathed with sterilized wate
and thoroughly washed. From tn
time it enters the place it is fed o
milk. After the virus is removed it
killed and postmortem examination
/ is held to ascertain whether there al
. any traces Of disease which could M
be detected in the original test an
if any are found the virus taken frol
i it is rejected.
! The virus is sealed and sent to ii
laboratory, where it is ground by del
cate machinery and stiriliZed, aft
a which il is prepared for use in con
/ mercial form, being placed in tubes I
: on points, the ends of which are Co
cred to prevent evaporation. This pr
!, cess is attended to by about score
young women. The output of the plal
is enormous.
. The antitoxin laboratory was ne,
visited. Its operation was also full
n explained. Antitoxin, which is o
. tanned from the blood of horses
4 used chiefly in treating diphther
. cases. Only the best horses are ust
h and they are selected by person wi
is considered a good judge. About
q per cent of the horses die as Il result
: the process. The remainder are sol
a In making antitoxin toxin is made fir
by treating germs taken from Il
a throats of people afflicted with dip
i liberia. The germs are filtered al
q converted into liquid poison, wi
q which guinea pigs are inuculated
test its strength. When the toxin
4 in proper shape horses are lnoculat
y with it. About 40 horses are in t
q stables at the present time. The
oculation begins with a few drops a
is increased from day to day until,
about three months about pint
given at an injection. Then the hol
is taken to the operating room anc
ID copious quantity of blood is dral
form neck vein. The antitoXin
le extracted by a chemical process fro
20 the blood, after which guinea pigs {
:, inoculated with it to test its strengt
a They are also inoculated with the to,
$ to ascertain the proportion Of antitoS
to required to neutralize the effect,
ST idea being to concentrate the antito,
of as much as possible. Ii one neutrali;
the other the guinea pigs will Ii
st but if the toxin predominatcs they "
1g die. The test is made on pen Of
I'd guinea pigs until one dies, which
III dicates the proportion that should
ut used
be The ,Wilmingtonians were pleas
n with their visit. Mr.. Shenck, "
n. made the arrangements, explained Il
a he had intended to invite more ply
err clans, but being i'll did not have
lg opportunity to do so.