Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-01-06


mum wires, microscope and the large
vessel. about one-third filled with a
yellowish or ambercolored fluid, and
also a number of slides like the small
covers of preserve jars. These were
the test slides upon which the individ-
ual germs are developed into colonies,
each colony appearing to occupy no
a large pin point.
These germs were to be used for In
jections to one of the horses. from
which they wished TO secure the diph-
iberia antitoXin. ~
The first dose given to the animal is
a small one. but the germs get to work
at once. At the same time the blood
takes up the task of fighting them.
The next injection is larger, and tho
blood. now containing certain agents
produced in the first battle, attacks
the newcomers with added force So
the process goes On, until a great
quantity of germs can be injected
without the disease developing. and
the horse is now ready to give up its
lmmuniZed serum.
This, when extracted, is found TO
contain. besides the antitoXin globu-
Inns, great amount of useless ma
terial. which ii injected into a human
being, while not causing any danger,
would give the blood an added amount
of work to do
The serum is taken to the labora-
tories to be refined. This is done by
filtering and refiltering until only the
globules remain, and these when in
jected furnish the human blood with
achievements that the disease cannot
defeat. Great care must be used in
raising these pets" as one of the
orderlies called the germs, and in or
der TO make them grow they must be
placed in specially prepared bouillon.
Then they are taken to a room which
is kept at a high temperature all the
time. In some cases they are covered
so that no light can reach them.
In the germ room are many OF these
vessels and test tubes containing
enough bacilli to wipe out the entire
population of the United States. Every
one of those disease germs is carefully
tended so that it may not die.
In the Pasteur room physician was
grinding something in a small bowl.
This was a spinal cord from rabbit
which had died that morning from
rabies. 1t contained a frightful amount
OF living bacilli. The worker wore
neither mask nor rubber gloves. and
when asked why he did not take that
precaution be only smiled and re-
marked that II might interfere with
his work.
He showed us shelves on which
were twelve jars containing the spinal
cords of rabbits. These represented
the period of drying, from one to
! twelve days, and each day the cord in
the last bottle is thrown away and the
bottles moved up, while fresh cord
is placed in the one just emptied.
In giving the treatment the cord of
contains only dead bacilli. which act
as an immunizer. Each day a cord OF
less period of drying is used until they
reach that of the seventh day, when
the living bacteria are found. though
in very small numbers.
II by this time the patient shows no
symptoms of the real disease it is
thought that he had never been in
oculated In the first place or that the
effects of the immunizing doses have
defeated it, but should the symptoms
become marked then the dosage is
kept up until they reach that OF the
first day, which means the use Of ma
terials from freshly removed cord
The cures from this treatment have
been marvellous.
II am well repaid for my risk. then.
said the rabies expert.
The tetanus room was similar to
that used by the diphtheria man, and
the work was much the same, except
that a greater amount of the bouillon
was placed in each bottle so as to
keep out as much of the oxygen as
possible, for these germs do not thrive
in oxygen. This filling of the bottle
of course, brings the germs much
nearer the top of the vessel and makes
the risk of handling them greater.
The vaccine room, they all declared
was the one where there were no dan
gers at all Nothing more could hap
pen than the doctors vaccinating him
self.
The securing of the vaccine Is &C
complished by vaccinating calf with
the vaccine of some other calf" said
the vaccine expert. I'VE are very care
full in our work so that nothing for
eign can enter the vaccine, shaving
and carefully cleansing the surface OF
the flesh before we use 1t.
There is absolutely no danger from
vaccination. especially when the per
son so treated preserves certain
amount of antiseptic caution; by that
I mean not allowing dirt to get into
the sore, or picking at it or scratching
il The vaccine is only an attenuated
smallpox and 1t is not capable of de
welcoming the true disease. Instead. II
has the wonderful property of immu
nizing the person from an attack OF
that awful disease for a certain period
I have never seen a culture of small
nox used on a calf, and the vaccine we
are using on the calves today is taken
from one previously vaccinated and II
in turn from another.
: The death of Queen. while not SO