Evening star., 1951-06-27
Last War Moy Be Fought
With Hypodermic Guns
vuccines Seen vitoI to Render
People Immune Against Germs
By Thomos R. Henry

By Thomos R. Henry
It has been said that earth's last
great battle viii not be fought by
soldiers with guns but by white-coated
men with hypodernic needles as war
ring nations turn against each other
hordes Of invisible germs.
In that day defense armaments will
consist Of plenty of vaccines to render
entire populations immune. Notable
advances have been made In this field,
1t has been announced by the United
States Public Health Service. Produc.
ton of vaccine against especially viru.
lent strains OF flu virus, for example.
has been speeded from to IL times,
w. Palmer Dearing.
Using virus strain flown from Eng
land last January, 1000 doses Of vac
cine were prepared by one American
pharmaceutical house In % days and by
another In % days. Hitherto six months
to year would have been required for
such preparation.
Could Minimize Effects.
Preliminary estimates, said DR.. Dear
ing, indicate that single laboratory
would. with early isolation Of new
strain, produce as many as q million
doses Of the necessary vaccine within
i've weeks. In event Of new and viru-
lent type Of influenza coming from
abroad or originating in this country,
the vaccine probably could be made in
time to minimize its effects In large
segments of the population.
Tho frioI y1iya IN mo fo ok,
vaccine was initiated by the United
ganized in cooperation with the World
Health Organization by the surgeon
generals Of the Army. Navy. Air Force
and Public Health Service. The idea
was stimulated by this years epidemics
Of mild type Of influenza In Sweden,
Norway, Greenland. Belgium and ths
Netherlands. and which appeared with
unusually high incidence In Liverpool
and the northern counties Of England.
The strain was received about the
middle Of January at the National In
stitutes Of Health here. A few days later
it was sent to six pharmaceutical houses
which had agreed to manufacture the
trial vaccine at their own expense and
to make the safety and sterility tests
as rapidly as possible.
Speed Of Output Varies.
The speed with which the vaccine
was produced by the various houses
varied from az to So days, according to
the facilities available and the intensity
Of the effort to be devoted to the
project.
The United States Study Program
ras,far 81 Eao&taeAa Nh 4. &t,n
for network of eight regional in
fiuenza laboratories and so co-ordinat-
ing laboratories strategically located
In the investigation of virus diseases.
They report directly to Bethesda all
outbreaks, especially Of influenza. which
come to their attention. including the
Identification Of isolated viruses.
The eight regional laboratories also
are responsible for supplying antigens
and antiserums needed In the investi-
cation of influenza to the collaborating
laboratories in their areas.
A systematic study Of the Gulf Stream
now is under way. It will be conducted
during five months cruise OF the re-
search ship Albatross Of the United
States Fish and Wild Life Service by
scientists Of the Woods Hole Oceano-
graphic Institute. The project is under
the direction of the ONCE Of Naval Re.
search. The specific objective will be to
determine whether the stream separates
into branches off the Grand Banks or
whether it consists Of several currents
from the start.
Since 1916 detailed studies with new
instruments and techniques have re.
vealed that the stream moves at q
speed Of four or five miles an hour in
stead Of the much slower rate attributed
to it on nautical charts The swiftest
flowing part is only about ten miles
wide, meanderS like large river, and
may move as much as 200 miles north
or south Of its average position in q
week. It never is certain, for example,
whether the stream actually is crossed
between New York and Bermuda. Some
times large loop formed by q mean
dering current breaks OF and forms an
eddy 100 miles or more wide. Such an
eddy is equivalent to a cyclone In the
upper atmosphere.
Seek to Determine Flow.
The scientific party aboard the Alba
tross win attempt to determine how
the Gulf Stream flows toward Northern
Europe Once the stream has left the
Grand Banks, oceanographers start to
call it the North Atlantic drift. It's
course Is known only in general. Past
observations have been made 100 miles
or more apart and significant details
were missed.
Most charts show that the Gulf Stream
branches OF Newfoundland. But it is
by no means certain that this Is true.
The branching Of the stream has been
placed In spot where practically no OBJ
servations have been made.
It now is believed that there are
three currents flowing in the same direc-
tion which are separated by weaker
currents flowing in the opposite direc-
ton.