Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-18

Skepticism accompanied by hope Is
the FIRST reaction to the announcement
from the University of Maryland
Medical School that the germ of the
common cold has been identified and
that a serum will give immunity for
varying periods of two to three years.
The investigator, DIR. j. A. Pfeiffer, Is
urged to bring forth complete assurance
that this universal evil has at last sue
cumbed to science.
Gratifying" comments the Albany
Evening News on the report, as 1t re-
calls that NEGOTIATIONS against colds
have been made for several years by
physicians. and In some cases they were
effective, but In others they were not"
The News declares that "if the germ has
been identified and a serum that will
prevent colds has been concocted, then
many lives will be saved and one result
will be a great economic gain" That
paper adds: I'VE have prevented small
poX and typhoid fever and diphtheria
by incubation. 1t Is reasonable to sup
pose that colds may also be prevented.
A cold not only makes It's victim miser-
able and destroys his efficiency, but 1t
often leads to other diseases"
Prom many angles the finding OF
cure would be one of the outstanding
contributions Of q generation" says the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. with the ver-
dict that "if the claim is established by
practice, the importance of the diScov-
cry to the health of the country can
hardly be overemphasized." The Post
Gazette observes that two years have
been spent by research workers, as q
result of the provision made by the
John F.. Abel FUND Of $780, 900 under
auspices Of the Chemical Foundation:
and that student volunteers offered
themselves and many families OF Balti-
more aided In the compilation, of in
formation" That paper concludes that
DIR. Pfeiffer's estimate that the COM
mon cold costs two billions annually in
lost time Of employed workers Is prob
ably not outside the fact" -
Perhaps the doctor Is right-let's
Star, recording that almost ANY
change in the weather brings the often
recurring cold-sniffies and SMILES;
gargling and oughing-unpleaSant, but
not beyond the realm Of cure" and
concluding: Heretofore all of US have
known the cure for q cold-there isn't
any. We hope this cure Will work
cure. If not, we can go on as be-
fore-just make the best Of 1t and suffer
the Gnlng through.
The medical title applied to the germ,
"MicrococouS coryza," Is described by
the st. Paul Pioneer Press as COM
mensurate with its Importance" The
writer assumes that the difficulty in
combating the cold appeared to be
that nobody could think of bad names
to call 1t. The current nomenclature
did not adequately express its villainy.
People pooh-poohed the idea OF being
afraid of q cold. But not the ferocious
new title. It indicates that the germ
means business. Household pred
ecessors of the vaccine have included
hot lemonade. parboiled feet, baking
soda and, above all, whisky-f you can
get 1t. The germ was long believed to
have abhorred strong drink with all
veal whether medical men like the new
vaccine any better than hundreds Of
other antidotes."
1T is too often the case" warns the
st. Louis Dispatch, that earnest
in medicine are honestly
misled as to the value Of their diScov-
cries, and the public Is learning to be-
come skeptical of reported cures until
they are subjected to multitudinous
tests. We hope such tests will bear out
DIR. Pfeiffer's findings, and II they do he
will have to be numbered among the
worlds great benefactors. 1t Is a rea-
sonable assumption that the cold Is the
most ubiquitous, persistent and annoy
ing human .ailment. Even the healthiest
persons are subject to 1t, and among the
aged and the frail 1t is often the pre-
cipitating cause Of death. To the lay
man 1t seems strange that its nature
should still be q mystery to medical
men, WHO have made such vsst strides