Evening star., 1948-09-27
Society
Told Of Workon
'vD Vaccine
Immunizution Held
Possible Some Day,
Hopkins Doctor Says
By GEORGE Beveridqe

~ SSesSS ~SNSSSS
The future possibility" of vac.
cine to immunize man against
syphilis is seen in recent laboratory
experiments, a noted authority on
venereal diseases reported today.
He was DR.. Joseph E. Moore. rs.
sociate professor of the Johns Hop
kins University Medical School, who
spoke at the opening session Of
the three-day scientific assembly Of
the District Medical Society at the
Hotel Statler.
DR.. Moore told reporters that the
possibility of a protective syphilis
vaccine is in the far distant future
too far away even to speculate
about it accurately. But the first
steps in that direction, he said,
have been taken by scientists at
Johns Hopkins. the National Cancer
Institute and the University Of
North Carolina.
The most important step, he said,
has been taken by DR.. Robert Nell
son of Johns Hopkins, who has sue
ceeded for the first time In keeping
organisms that cause syphilis alive
for several days on artificial media.
Could Lead to Vaccine.
"This gives us the hope that at
some time actual growth on arti-
ficial media might be possible" DR..
Moore said. This could lead to de-
velopment of a vaccine "and cer-
tainly toward better diagnosis and
treatment" he added.
Use Of penicillin to treat gonor-
rhea has reduced that disease to be
mo more serious than severe head
cold" DR.. Moore told the doctors
this morning.
Failures In from 2 to per cent
OF cases with the drug can be cor
rected simply by additional treat
ment, he added.
DR.. Moore also reported that q
'one-injection" treatment for syph-
Ills is in sight. Experiments to prove
its efficiency are under way now, but
no definite results are available, hs
said.
u. N. Medical Plan Outlined.
In another address DR.. Charles
Armstrong. chief of infectious dis
eases. Public Health Service, told
the group that special health Sec
tion OF the United Nations plans to
set up listening posts" all over the
world to identify types of influenza
virus wherever that disease breaks
out.
Hope Of the program, he ex-
planned, is to identify all strains
of influenza virus in order to de-
velop better protective vaccines.
DR.. Armstrong said 1t seemed to
him "a futile hope" that such a
move could stop a possible world
wide epidemic, but he praised re-
search value of the program.
He also advised that whenever
I possible, surgery should be post
poned during periods when large
numbers of polio cases are being
! reported. AT present. he pointed
out, tonsillectomies only are held to
a minimum.
Electron Microscope Progressing.
DR.. Stuart Mudd, professor of bac-
teriology at the University of PENN
sylvania Medical School. outlined
progress with the giant electron
microscope in learning more about
bacteria beyond the range Of normal
microscopes.
An estimated 5000 doctors are
expected to turn out for the 10th
annual assembly-the most i'm
portant meeting of the year for
Washington's doctors and members
of allied professional groups.
Theme of the three-day meeting
is Modern Medicine and the Pa
tient" and scientific programs are
geared for public as well as profess
sional interests.
Hospitals to Be Discussed.
After a luncheon, DR.. Robin G.
Buerki of the University of PENN
sylvania was to discuss What Is
Wrong With Our Hospitals?" An
afternoon session for doctors was to
center on nutrition, as 1t affects
surgery; undernourishment, obesity
and infant feeding.
Drawing special interest was a
series of exhibits-open to the
public each day-to illustrate ad-
vances by national and local agencies
in health care.
/ One display gave the public an
idea of what doctors do in their
spare time. It is composed Of paint
ings, sculpture and even musical
compositions submitted by Wash
ingtons medical specialists.