Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-16
NURSES IN0CULATED
IN TYPHOID TESTS
Boston Physician Uses Refined
Process in General Practice

BOSTON, Mass, Sept. 15.-Inocula-
ton for typhoid fever is one OF the
latest contributions of the medical pro-
fession to a world of disease and suf-
fering. For several years the Royal
Army corps has been able to produce
artificial immunity against typnolu
fever among British soldiers, but a
Boston physician has refined the pro-
cess and demonstrated its value in
general practice as we'll as in speclal
cases.
voluntary incubation carried out at
the Massachusetts, general hospltaI
during the last eighteen months by
DR.. Lesley Spoonor at the susgestlon
and with the assistance of DR.. Mark
w. Richardson, secretary OF the state
board of health, have resulted in con-
firnling the experiences of the army
doctors of Great Britain.
"In my opinion said DR.. Spooner,
1.-The development of this means OF
prophylaxis is a very important step
in the fight against typhoid.
"As you know, the Massachusetts
general hospital is one in which equip
ment is of the best and where every
precaution against the spread OF dls.
ease is taken, so that an incidence or
typhoid there has even greater signt-
ficance than 1t has elsewhere. Yet in
spite of all precautions, in ten years
from 1899 to 190S-there were con-
tracted within the hospital, apparent
ly from direct or indirect contact,
twenty-seven cases of typhoid fever.
"In April, 1909, l began inoculating
volunteers, first among the house Of
ficers and then among the nurses ana
ward tenders. In all cases the blood
showed a distinct reaction, a reaction
SO marked that it seemed very doubt
full that immunity was not conveyed.
The results were so encouraging that
we continued with the work, and up
to the present time have inoculated
one hundred nurses, nine house Of
ficers and six ward tenders at the
Massachusetts general hospital and
fourteen employees at the Naval hos
pital at Chelsea.
comfort to the inoculated is far less
marked when inoculatlons are per-
formed with small doses repeated at
freuuent intervals. Severe reactions,
I think, are due to the administration
of tremendous doses of the organism.
"Our experiments show that the Sc
verify of the reaction bears no direct
relation to the degree of immunity
conyeyed. The greater number of those
showing the higher agglutinating pow
er-that is, the condition in the blood
which shows immunization-suff
only slight local an no constitutional
reaction. On the other hand, several
with smaller amounts of agglutinins
complained of greater disturbances.
"The only case resembling typhoid
among the employees of the hospital
since we started inoculating occurred
last month. That was a nurse who had
been inoculated. But she presented
such very mild symptoms that the di-
agnosis is at present still in doubt.
Her Illness was no more severe than
an ordinary cold, and If it is typhoid
it is significant only as confirming
our belief that inoculation gives a
reasonable amount of immunity with
out absolutely preventing the disease.
MANY persons intending to travel
abroad now come to me for inocula-
ton. I have made Approximately 500
inoeulations up to date, and l think /
can say with perfect freedom that
there is no danger, but slight ineon-
venience and every indication OF I'M
munity It is too early yet, however,
to say how strong the immunity is or
how long it will .ast."