The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-06-22
RESULT OF STRAW VOTE ON IMMUNITY VERSUS RESISTANCE

Quite while ago TeHueTb oI t''" were invited to give their ideas about the diL ference if any between resistance ana immuh ity The conductor has given his ideas so oi'ei that 1t seems unnecessary to repeat ,.ae '' maintains there is no such thing as resistanc Che would take some such attitude, wouIdn he old d-timers?). Well, the keen interest an the clear insight our readers evince III tie' letters on this subject would astonish anu en tighten many of the gentlemen Who purpor to be expert in guaging reader Ninteingence I hoped for q mere straw vote. Ihc ac'u" result was q symposum. In tho course ot tn' past decade have collected many Ihteres.,n. Ihtt. and instructive letters and clippings reiat'hl to "resistancc," but this particular symposium 1 think indicates that adults can be rceducate' in respect to hygiene. , . curiousIy enough the get of books offered al fl prize or acknowledgement for the best con tribution is awarded to a physician put h' spurns the offer. as you shall see:
 Dear Dr Brady:
 Be immune But How Can You Tell When Your Resistance is UpY" am indeed m fine fcttlc for little argument. NOT oo l care for the prize; let thc Do9ks s' D some poor fellow who does not know tne difference between immunity ana rcsis.- ancc. |, ,
 You could not expect one III Of acute appendictis to possess an immunity 10 tnc diaeaae but if he is destined to recover ne must have q mcasurcable degree of leu. kocytosis, which is the body'n means ana method of RESISTANCE. Let the append.
  a low 1cukocyte count and unless surgery comes to his relief within few hours U is goodbye, because his RESISTANCE IS down. ,,
 If a pneumonia patient has done fairly yyeli up to the time of the crisis with a leukocyte count of approxmateiy io'ovo' and then shows marked diminution Tn the lcukocytc count (blo9d counD. tcl tne family, not the patient to prepare for the worst, and you will not have to eat your words If the lcukocytosis is .rnaintained in blood counts after the crisis. you are safe in assuring the family that all IS we'll The RESISTANCE is measured by the . white cell count.
 Favorable cases of pulmonary tubercu- Iosis while not showing general Ieuko- cytosls (recruits only balancing casualties) do show lympocytosis, indicating that Fresh, young soldiers are being recruited to take the place of the older fighters, the poIymorphonuclear 1eukocytes or phaEo- cytes that have fallen in the fray. The re- verse is true of unfavorabe cases
 You accept the theory of anti-bodies In the blood, or at least you did some years ago when we had debate about counter irritation That theory or whatever 1t IS. explains immunity. An attack of measles protects against another attack. This IS not true of pneumonia; therefore the ne- ceasity for two methods of protection on the part of Mother Nature.
 You cannot fence out the crows from your DouItry yard therefore you must resist m-REsISTANcE. Ton can sence out your neighbours cattle, then fold your arms against their ravages--IMMUNITY.
 sincerely and fraternally yours
 J. F. G.---------,s M. D. All good sound scientific facts--except thu aIIusiop to crows and cattle You can set uI q life-like figure with moving shotgun whicf occasionally pops and emits cloud or burn gun-powdcr, and that will keep your poultr, yard or cornfeld immune from the dcpreda tlons of the crows-IMMUNITY. And If yo, fold your arms too snugIy after fencing th' cabbage patch the cows may break throusf your barrier and gobble half the cabbage be fore you can untangle your arms and shoo 'en away--IMMUNITY MAINTAINED.
 Nothing in the doctors unassailable argu ment warrants the silly advice half-baket health authorities offer the unsophsticatet public about keeping up 'resistance." however That's the nub of the argument. These oper' bouffe health authorities can sound of al much as they please about 'resistancc" be cause nobody knows anything about that any way. but they're pretty darn careful how thel talk about immunity. because we know wha that is