Smyrna times., 1927-06-15
SEE MENACE In FOOT
AND-M0UTH DISEASE
Virus Found Too Powerful
for Experiments.

Washington.-Th highly infectious
nature of foot and mouth disease virus,
the extremely small size of its active
agent, and its ability to escape iden-
titication as to its true nature are the
outstanding results of the years
study by the American commission
which went to Europe in 1925 to
study foot-and-mouth disease and is
preparing its official report.
The commission comprises DR.. Har-
ry w. Schoening of the United States
bureau of animal industry, DR.. Jacob
Traum of the University Of California,
and Dr.. Peter X. Olitsky of the Rookie
feller Institute for Medical Research.
BY a special act of congress the COM
mission was empowered to conduct
studies Of fOot-and-mOuth disease
abroad with the hope of obtaining in
formation to be used in suppressing
most effectively any outbreaks of the
malady that may occur in the United
States.
The dangers of experimenting with
the foot-and-mouth disease virus in
great to permit studies in this country.
On the other hand. official European
countries where the disease is con
stantly present welcomed the investi-
cations of the American commission
and gave assistance.
Virus Extremely Active.
Though highly technical. the find
ings of the commission show briefly
that the virus of foot-andmouth dis
ease Is extremely active and danger
Gus. 1t produced the disease expert
mentally when diluted as much as one
part in ten million. The organism is
too small to be seen by the most pow
erfuI microscopes. AS further proof Of
its minuteness, the Investigators found
that centrifugal force for two hours
at from $500 to 5000 revolutions a
minute failed to throw the organism
out of solution.
The resistance of foot-and-mouth
disease virus to strong antisepties
also proved to be surprisingly great
Whereas 60 per cent alcohol kills or
binary bacteria within a minute it
failed to destroy the virus of foot-and-
mouth disease In &c hours. The virus
also showed abnormal resistance to
other antiseptics, such as acetone. BIZ
chloride Of mercury and cresol.
Reporting that foot-and-mouth dis
ease is one of the most contagious
diseases known, the commission fur
ther notes that in hay or in garden
soil il remained living for at least
% DAYS and the infective agent may
persist for longer periods under favor
able conditions for its protection.
Bacteria Battles Cultivation.
The commissions work included
studies of immunity and the suscepti-
hiity Of many kinds of experimental
animals. The causative agent Of foot
and-mouth disease apnears to he sep
arate from any of the known kinds Of
bacteria of the ordinary species and
has baffled artificial cultivation by
any means now available. The com
missions attempts to produce an active
artificial immunity against foot-and-
mouth disease We're unsuccessful.
Highly technical studies showed
that the electric charge of the virus
Is positive anG that the electric charge
influenced the passage of the virus
through certain types of filter mate
rials This group of studies, though
showing the ctive agent of the virus
to be ex rely small, indicated that
1t is not of fluid character
IN cattle studies active virus was
found in the saliva before any LESSONS
Of the disease were observed. Other
workers also lave reported the ability
of animals n tie fever stage to infect
Others before external signs are seen.
The earthworm could not be impli-
Gated as a carrier.
A close scrutiny of methods used in
Europe for controlling foot-and-mouth
disease by rigid quarantine showed
that even the severest form of quar-
antine is relatively ineffective com
pared with the prompt slaughter of
diseased and exposed animals. as
practiced in the United States.
European officials with whom the
American scientists discussed meth
ods of combating foot-and-mouth dis
ease agreed that. when its extent is
limited to a small percentage of the
animals. the slaughter and cleanup
method is the only effective one, be-