Evening star., 1939-04-24
Skin Tests Described
Showing Pneumonia
susceptibility
Dr.. FELTON, Envisions
Voccinoting Persons Most
Likely to Get MoIudy

Possibility of vaccinating against
pneumonia the entire 5 to 10 per
cent of the American population to
whom the malady is likely to prove
serious or fatal was described by
DR.. L. D. FELTON, Of the National
Institute of Health before the an
nual conference of State and Terri
torial health officers which opened
at the Public Health Service today.
Recent tests have established, DR..
FELTON, said, that the population can
be divided into two classes-those
with low and those with a high
susceptibility for the pneumococcus
organism, which, in spite Of serums
and the miracle = working drug
sulfapyridine. remains one Of the
great killers Of the human race.
Those in the first class include
more than 80 per cent of the people,
according to tests made on blocks
of 1000. They may contract pneu-
monia but are not likely to die of
it or be very serious medical prob
lens. The remaining part includes
most of those who would become
seriously i'll or die of the nalady.
The class to which one belongs,
DR.. FELTON, reported, can be deter
mined by the skin reaction to a very
small single dose of the pneumonia
vaccine developed in the Public
Health Service laboratories. This
vaccine, which is made from the
complex "sugar-coating' of the
pneumonia germs, has proved very
effective in cutting down the pneu-
monia death rate in the Army and
the c. C. c.
Skin Tests Proposed.
1t would be obviously impossible,
DR.. FELTON, said. to vaccinate annual
ly all the 130, 0,OO0, 900 persons in the
United States. 1t will be possible. he
believes, to determine by the skin
test the susceptible portion of each
community and keep these persons
sufficiently dosed with the vaccine,
which causes the formation of pneu-
monia antibodies in the blood, to
ward off attacks-especially during
the pneumonia seasons of winter and
early spring.
The tests would have to be renewed
from time to time. he pointed out,
because susceptibility varies with
age and general physical condition.
While this might constitute an ex-
pensive public health procedure. he
said, it probably would be justified
considering the cost of pneumonia
treatment, especially with serums,
the amount of time lost, and the
heavy death rate.
1t now has been demonstrated, DR..
FELTON, told the Public Health officers,
that the complex sugar fraction from
the pneumonia germ contains all the
antigenic properties of the full germ,
that the reactions are mild COM
pared with the reactions from ty-
phoid incubation, and that a high
degree Of protection may be given.
1t has been impossible to standardize
the dose, however, because of the
great differences in susceptibility.
Organisms in Mouth.
Actually, DR.. FELTON, said, about 95
per cent of the people carry pneu-
mococci in their mouths and throats
all the year. Tests with white mice,
he reported, show that these organ
isms are just as virulent as those
taken from the blood streams Of per-
sons with fatal cases.. It has not yet
been possible to determine why these
organisms generally cause so little
trouble.
Fatal pneumonia, DR.. FELTON, said,
is essentially a poor mans disease.
Statistical studies show, he said, that
there is hardly any mortality among
persons who have a balanced and
adequate diet, even though they are
among the susceptible group.
His own laboratory tests with
sulfapyridine, DR.. FELTON, said,
r