Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-10-19
FIND MEASLES VIRUS
Two Government PHYSICIANS
Report on Experiments.
Monkeys Were InocuIated Win Blood
From Patients Suffering With
Diseases and Animals
Found Susceptible.

New York.-The cause Of measles
has been discovered as a result of Il
series of experiments lasting a year.
The physicians who made the tests
are: Dr.. John T. Anderson, director
Of the hygienic laboratory, Washing
ton. D. c.. and Passed Assistant Sur
geon Joseph GoIberger. The disease
is caSEed by virus which is to be
fourt in the blood Of those suffering
from 1t.
The experiments were carried out
with monkeys. These were inoculated
with blood from measles patients, and
it vas 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 inoculated: 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 16 last a fourth attempt
was made; two monkeys were inocu-
lated, and at the same time the mon
key which had exhibited symptoms on
the former occ aston was reinoculated
with view of testing his immunity
and obtaining light on the previous re-
action.
Ten days after incubation this ami
mai developed well marked eruption,
which in two days became general
lied. In seven days this had died
out. Desquamation was noticed only
on the scalp end 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 a greater or less ex-
tent. Anderson and Goldberger be-
lieve that they are justified in con-
Guiding 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 infectivity of the blood
beginning at least Just before and
continuing for about twenty-four
hours after the first appearance of
the eruption After this period, the
lnfectivity 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
through a filter In this case they
diluted blood-sc rum from a measles
patient with Il rec times its volume
Of salt solution The whole was pass
ed through a Berkefeld filter. They
were able to inoculate a monkey
with the resulting solution, hence they
conclude that the virus is capable of