The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1911-11-18
FIND MEASLES VIRUS.
Two Government Physicians
Report on Experiments.
Monkeys Were InocuIated With Blood
From Patients Suffering With
Diseases and Animals
Found Susceptible.

New York.-The cause of measles
has been discovered as result OF q
series of experiments lasting a year
The physicians who made the tests
are: DR. John f. Anderson, director
of the hygienic laboratory. Washing
ton. d. c.. and Passed Assistant Sur.
geon Joseph Golberger. The disease
is caused by virus which is to be
found in the blood of those suffering
from II.
The experiments were carried out
with monkeys These were inoculated
with blood from measles patients. and
it was found that the animals were
susceptible to the disease.
These observers state" says the
Medical Record. that their first ex-
pertinent was performed on June 8.
1910. with some blood obtained from
a case of measles at the Willard
Parker hospital. New York. Two mon
keys were inocnlated: in each slight
rise in temperature was noted on
the eleventh day. the significance OF
which was not appreciated at the
time A second attempt was made
with similar results.
ION April % of this year third at
tempt was made. three rhesus mon
keys being inoculated- Once more.
as regards temperature reaction. re-
suits were obtained essentially like
those of former experiments In the
case Of one monkey an eruption and
other symptoms resembling those of
measles occurred.
ION May l6 last fourth attempt
was made; two monkeys were inocu-
lated, and at the same time the mon
key which had exhibited symptoms on
the former occasion was reinoculated
with a view OF testing his immunity
and obtaining light on the previous re-
action
Ten days after incubation this AMI
NAL developed a well marked eruption
which in two days became general
lied. In seven days this had died
out. Desquamation was noticed only
on the scalp and temple. The mon
key which had been reinoculated
showed no reaction whatever.
Blood aspired from the heart Of
the two animals which showed reac-
ton was used for the incubation Of
four fresh rhesus monkeys.> All show
ed reaction to q greater or less ex-
tent Anderson and Goldberger be-
lieve that they are justified In con-
cludinD that they have demonstrated
the susceptibility of the rhesus mon.
key to incubation with the blood Of
human measles drawn from the gen
eral circulation early IN the eruptive
stages"
The physicians continued their ex-
periments and discovered that there
Is a period of infectivfty Of the blood
beginning at least just before and
for about twenty-four
hours after the first appearance of
the eruption. After this period. the
of the blood is greatly re-
duced. and progressively diminishes
Not satisfied entirely with the re-
suits of these experiments. the In
vestigators sought to determine the
exact nature of the virus Of measles
They published the results Of the lat
ter series of experiments last Satur
day in the Journal Of the American
Medical Association.
: First. they sought to discover
whether or not the virus would pass
a filter In this case they
blood-serum from a measles
patient with. three times its volume
Of salt solution. The whole was pass
ed through a Berkefeld filter They
were able to inocuiate a monkey
with the resulting solution. hence they
that the virus is capable OF