The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-08-29
.,,..n7s TO BE INOCULATEO
.nu1ox,N AS PREVENTATIVE
FOR ILLNESS.
n,a.;dvsenteric Serum Made From
ptood of Horse-Three Years
Required in Preparation.

Since John ID. R0ckeIeiier' dilel 'he
s1eath of a grandson from cholera IN
s,,,,,, offered a reward of 100000
for a specific that would checkmate
this disease. the medical fraternity or
two hemispneres have been at work
endeayoring to ascertain dehnlteiy the
,,use of the so-called summer COM
nlaiDt' among children, says the New
York Tribune When it is known that
IN ner cent of the deaths among chill
drep : wears old, and less, are due to
cholera infantum, the importance OF
she news that specific has been
found and is actually in use may be
estimated. The following story, writ
zen bv Or. William II. Lippert. ply
stefan in charge of the Edward Martin
IasteuriZed Milk laboratory, and con-
smiling surgeon of the Christian settle
anen1, University of Pennsylvania, de-
.scribes the discovery and the method
of using it:
A long and careful investigation of
the cause of cholera infantum, which
most mothers will prefer to call sum
mcr complaint" led Professor Simon
F1}exner, president of the Rockefeller
Institute of Medical Research, to de-
eide that the specific cause of the dis
ease was the bacillus dysenteriae. Pro
eeeding with the hypothesis that the
particular bacillus isolated by the Jap
anese scientist Shiga as responsible
Cor the acute and subacute dysentery
eJf the tropics was the enemy to be at
tackled Dr.. Flexner directed medical
company to prepare an antidysenterlc
serum from the blood of horses i'm
xnunized against bacillus dysenteriae.
The, treatment of these horses has eX-
tended over a period of nearly three
years, and from them curative serum
has been procured that DR.. Flexner'S
experiments demonstrate to be of the
greatest value in saving infant life.
The patience required in preparing
xnis agent for the saving of child life
may be imagined when it is said that it
gequires from one to two years to COM
pletely immuHize a horse against the
saysentery bacillus. The horse is used
in the production of serum for these
yeasons: He is comparatively free from
disease; he enjoys a high degree of
natural immunity to dysentery, and he
yields a fine quality of serum in con-
siderable quantities.
IN the preparation of the antidysen-
standard as to the character of the an
imal is fixedly adhered to. The horse
must be robust and in perfect health
To prepare him for the treatment that
eventually results in a yield of serum
the agent that produces reaction re-
Tea1ing even the microscopical pres
stantly immunized against tetanus
with tetanus antitoxin. After that the
provided with individual water supply
ventilation and drainage. If at the test
saf No t,i,I
not produce serum of the required
strength he is discarded. If the test
sluired standard, the horse is bled two
or three litres.
The operation is conducted on the
same principle as any other aseptiC
surgical operation. in a special operat-
ing room reserved for the purpose
This room is an entirely separate room
from the stables and is similar in con
struction to that found in the most
modern and well-equipped hospitals
The floor and walls are of cement and
slate with porcelain finish. and the
room is thoroughly disinfected before
each operation.
Before the horse is brought to the
operating ROOM he is led to an adioin-
ing room where he is prepared fol-
bleeding by being thoroughly scrubbed
with an antiseptic and then covered
with a sterile sheet which has beer
soaked in a one to one thousand hi
chloride solution. These precautions
render it impossible for dirt and germs
70 be carried into the operating room
The same care and precaution are ex.
acted as are practiced by the surgeon
IN the most delicate operation upon 2
human being
A canula attached to a steriIizaf
@uooer tube is introduced into the jug.