New Britain herald., 1929-12-13
Dr. Falk and 13 CO-Work- CTS All Stricken With Disease During Year and Day of Patient Re- search.

Chicago, Dec. 13 LP}-A 30 year old scientist, Dr. Isadore s. Talk, of the University of Chicago, has announced the successful isolation Of the germ that causes influenza.
 Dr. Falk, professor of hygiene and bacteriology, began his search for the influenza germ a year ago yesterday and succeeded in isolat- ing it September 80. During the course of the experiments, it was as Dr. Falk himself, were victims Of the disease they sought to con- quer.
 With the announcement of iso- lation of the germ, hope was eX- pressed that vaccine or anti-toXin might be developed that would bring influenza and certain types of common colds and bronchitis under control
 "Likc a String of Pearls
 The influenza germ, Dr. Falk said, is Of the pleomorphic strepto- coccus type, resembling a string of pearls not we'll matched such as might have been strung by a child.' The germs colonize in clumps, rough and smooth. The rough clumps are the more viru- lent, Dr. Falll said. The smooth ones, he believes, produce common colds of the sore throat type.
 Some of the germs he designates as ''smooth' are to be found in normal throats, the experiments showed.
 Samples of the blood and throat culture of one of his assistants Miss Ruth \. Kinney, were used at the start of the experiments. These revealed many varieties of germs. After continued investigation sus- picion centered upon one, and eN- periments were conducted with fl, convincing Dr. Falk that this was the germ responsible for the dis ease.
 Not Fatal in Itself
 The germ, Dr. Falk said, will not prove fatal in itself. but the dis ease for which it is responsible weakens the patient in many cases so that he falls victim 10 other, deadlier, germs.
 With the isolated germ Dr, FaIk and his associates conducted eXperl- ments on small animals, producing in them q disease similar to the in- fluenza that attacks human beings.
 Dr. Falk was careful to point against too great hope from thc discovery.
 "In research for specifies for some diseases, isolation of the germ is 75 per cent of the battle," he said. "lt remains to be seen wheth- CT that is true in this fight. EN- periments in quest cf such a speci- fic are now being carried on.'
 Vaccine Thought Possible
 It is Dr. Falk's opinion that vaccine may be developed which sprayed in the throat will cure in fluenza. Development Of anti-toXin also is to be sought. Indications that the germ produces q toxin that may be combattcd with anti-toXin are found, he sad, m the tact that person who has had influenza IS immune to 1t several weeks after recovery.
 Research work in quest of tn" influenza germ has been carried on at the University of Chicago sine" 1918, although the particular series Of experiments that proved sue cessful were begun only a year ago. In Dr. Talks group of investigators were R. W. Harrison. Dr. VI. A. Jacobson, Miss Mckinney and Dr. C.. w. Stuppy of the department of Hygiene and bacteriology Drs. F. R. Long. Bella. Halpert and R. H. Cannon Of the pathology depart ment cooperated, and later several others took part, Dr. Faik said.
 pr. I'ak, despite his youth, pre-