The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-10-01
Hearty Approval Given Prof.
Fishers Proposal by
American.
LIVING GERM THEORY
SPRUNG BY EXPERTS
Oniy Successful Method of I'M
munizing Human Beings,
Scientists Claim.

Declaring In favor Of national board
Of hea n. a central body which shall
concentrate the work Of lighting disease
n the United States under one head,
Prof. Irving Fisher, OF Yale Uni
versity, today started In earnest the
plan for such an organization, which,
1t is understood, President Roosevelt
urge in a special message TO Congress
when that body convenes this winter.
The plan was greeted with great
favor By several hundred american
physicians. many Of them public health
authorities, who heard Prof. Fisher
read his paper. He pointed out that
the Democratic platform contained
plank urging the party 10 such a meas
ure, that the Republican platform Is
pledged to IT. and also called the at
tention Of the congress to the fact that
Surgeon General Wyman, head Of the
United States public health service. and
DR.. Wiley. OF the pure food fame. had
spoken IN favor Of it at the recent con-
ference Of State health officers held IN
this city.
Give Germ Theory.
ANY successful method OF producing
freedom from tuberculosis must be
sought through the use of the living
germ"
This startling statement. coming from
a group OF three American scientists,
Prof NJ A Barber, OF the University
OF Kansas; DR.. W. w. Williams, and
DR.. Gerald 3. Webb, of Colorado
Springs, specialists IN the disease, Great
ed furOre when II was read in Section
/ Of the tuberculosis Congress today.
A hot discussion as to the correctness
Of the theory, advanced with confidence
by the three physicians from the West.
followed the reading Of that paper.
That the theory has been proven in
hundreds OF experiments and is the only
chance there is OF immunizing human
beings, was stated IN the paper, but
there were a score of foreign delegates
who arose and contradicted the theory
Their Statement.
Prof. BE rber said in part
''The possibility Of producing freedom
from disease or immunity by the inOcu-
latiOn OF living organisms has till now
only been accomplished IN few dis
eases. in chief smallpox.
THE virus Of this disease weakened
by passage through the COW can safely
be inOculated into human beings result
ing in protection against smallpox.
'The human race possesses IN a vary
ing amount a natural immunity against
tuberculosis; were It not so the race
would long ago have become extinct.
Artificial protection to tuberculosis
has never yet been achieved for the hU-
man race. but that It is a possibility
we believe can be accomplished. mas
much as It Is now possible by protec-
tive inoculation by living organisms
OF the human type to protect cattle
from tubercuIcsis.
"All conceivable methods Of weaken
ing the tubercle bacillus, so that 81
can be safely inoculated for the produc-
ton OF immunity have up TO this time
failed. TrIdeau has shown II possible
70 produce a certain amount OF I'M
munity in guinea-pigs by the use OF liv-
ing bacteria
HDead tubercIe baciIH and their pro-
ducts, known as vaccines and tuber-
Culins, when used for inOculatiOns have
failed to produce lasting immunity al
though Of distinct value in the treat
ment Of tuberculosis.
Dr. Mohler's Address.
A paper read by DR.. John R Mohler.
chief Of the pathological division Of the
Bureau OF Animal Industry OF the De-
partmeut Of Agriculture, in the prep
aration Of which he was aided by DR..
Henry J. Washburn, assistant CHIEF OF
the same division, attracted consider
able interest today DR.. Mohler
claimed that the first notification which
the public received Of the different char
aCteristics of the human and bovine
bacili was contained in reports issued
by the Bureau of Animal Industry as
far back as 1895 and 1896
In this statement, DR.. MOhler showed