New-York tribune., 1912-03-03

mcnts and yet thrive In the unusual re-
sistance of this virus lies the difficult task
now confronting us In our effort TO discover
a drug or serum which will give us an
accurate and positive means OF controlling
this disease
I'm recent years we have learned of GER
tain diseases which seem to be confined to
human beings. which could not be trans
ferrcd to the ordinary lower animals. but
which could be transferred to lower ami
mails which are not so far removed In the
animal series from the human species.
The animals which are most closely
allied TO the human species are the apes
and monkeys.
1T is necessary to bring the virus of the
disease into close association with the
nervous system of these animals.
1t required that a method should be
employed by which the virus should be
brought into immediate relationship with
the nervous centres. and that was secured
by taking material from the spinal cord
and introducing 1t directly into the brain
Of these animals, which is readily done,
under anasthesia, by inoculation through
small opening in the skull.
when this happens, and the incubation
period elapses, varying from three or four
DAYS to thirty. and averaging generally
about eight or nine days, during which the
animals are perfectly well, symptoms ap-
pear.
AT first when the virus is transferred,
certain number of the animals tend 10
get well-perhaps only half of them die:
the other half tend to survive. but once the
virus has become established in the mon
keys practically none of them get well-they
all die. Happily. there is nothing compar-
able To this i'm the human affection. but this
.. mere fact in itself is Illuminating.
1T is indicative that In these successive
transfers Of the virus from monkey to
monkey there occurs a modification OF 1t,
and we have learned that races OF the virus
are in this manner capable Of development
and that the original race which is trans
fcrrcd has human characteristics.
Il know experiments have been made to
determine whether that virus, II 1t were re-
introduced in human beings, would have its
original viruence for them, but II is fair
assumption that il would not have the same
yruence for human beings as it had orig
inally.
1T has in all probability lost certain
power Of injecting human beings. That Is
a property which il common to many of the
parasitic micro organisms.
That the discovery Of the actual living
cause Of the disease would not be made
until a higher powered microscope was pre-
sonted. was the declaration Of Dr Flexncr
The germs Of the disease were small
he said. that even with the aid Of the
powerful Instruments Of the Rockefeller
Institute the observers had failed to obtain
actual vision Of the minute. moving cause
Of the disease.
I'VE have been engaged for the last year
and a half in trying to improve urotropin
II is drug that lends itself very easily
to modification TO increase its antiseptic or
dsinfcCtant power.
Il believe the subject Is one which for
the future is full Of promise. What We
have already learned, I think, gives us
great control over the prevention OF the dis
ease. and / am disposed to believe that be
fore the experimental stage OF the disease
is over w may even have achieved that
most welcome Of all achievements. the ther-
apeutic control Of the disease. That how
ever. is more prophecy than a fact
Dr. Fleyner said infantlle paralysis was
highly conta gioUs and that the human spe-
cies constituted the principal disseminators
of the disease He declared scientists had
suggested that II was in reality disease Of
domestic animals but that experiments had
nrov ed that aside from monkeys. the only
animal that could be nocuated with the
virus was a rablit-Chicago Record-Hcrald