The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1919-08-29
FREE VACCINE FOR
FLU PREVENTATIVE
Stuff Made in Montana to Be Dis.
tributed by State Board of
Health.


the prevention of influenza will soon
be ready for the incubation of all per-
sons in Montana who wish it, accord
ing to an announcement made by the
state board of health following the
return Of DR.. E. D. Hitchcock, state
bacteriologist, who has been doing
research work at the Mayo clinic at
Mimi, and in the laboratory
of the state board of health in the
University of Minnesota.
This is one of the precautions taken
by the board of health to lessen the
effect of the expected return of the
influenza epidemic this winter. Other
moves will be the mobilization of the
physicians of the state through the
medical association and the mobiliza-
tion Of nurses through the Red Cross.
Physicians and health officers gen.
orally predict a return of the epidemic
but they believe there will be fewer
cases and that these will be milder in
form. 1t is expected, however, that
pneumonia will follow in some instan-
ces.
The vaccine supplied in Montana will
be manufactured from cultures taken
from patients in this state. DR.. Hitch
cock states that while the influenza
organism is of the same species in all
the states, it's virulence differs accord
ing to the locality, and the vaccine
used here will be suited to the condi-
tions existing in this region.
Cases of influenza already are ap-
pearing, according to reports made to
DR.. John j. Sippy, state epidemiol-
ogist. Nothing approaching epidemic
conditions has appeared, but these
sporadic cases are considered signifi-
cant of the trend.
Great advances have been made in
the methods of manufacturing influ-
enza vaccine, DR.. Hitchcock says, and
he believes many lives will be saved
as result of the adoption of the
improved systems.
One important feature Of the new
plan is that one incubation now will
do the work. Formerly three were
required. The new plan was develop
ed largely through the efforts of DR..
E. C. Rosenow of the Mayo clinic at
Rochester. The cultures are kept in
oil instead of in a saline solution and
it is said to be possible to give a pa
tient ten times the former amount
without producing constitutional re-
action. 1t also is believed that the one
incubation will ipmunize person for
a longer period than was possible un-
der the former method
The vaccine will be supplied free in
any quantity to physicians and health
officers, according to DR.. W. F. Cogs-
well, secretary of the state board of
health. A provision will be made that
it be administered free to citizens,
and that reports be made to the board
of all inoculations and the results
therefrom.
Dr. Hitchcock, who will be in charge
of the manufacture of the influenza
vaccine here, conducted similar work
during the epidemic last winter for
the government He was at that time
in charge of the naval laboratory at
Bremerton, Wash, and in addition to
the manufacture Of vaccine conducted
research and experimental work on the
isolation of the influenza organism.
The results of his work We're highly
commended by DR.. George A. Mccoy,
director Of the United States hygienic
laboratory at Washington, D. c., who
set forth DR.. Hitchcock's theories in a
bulletin. Dr. Mccoy considered them
themost important contribution on the
subject.
On his recent mission and work in
the great Minnesota laboratories, DR..
Hitchcock picked up many interest
ing new laboratory procedures which
will increase the facilities and conven-
ience of his department here. He in
vites the physicians of the state to
avail themselves of the better service
he will be able to offer.