Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1953-06-16
|. What is gamma gIobuIin?

I. what IS gamma oiopui'Hf
It is the disease-fighting part of
human blood which contains SUBJ
stances called antibodies. When
polio virus attacks the body, the
body fights back by building up
special polio antibodies.
2. How does GG fight polio?
BY providing polio antibodies in
the bloodstream which entrap the
virus before it has a chance to at
tack nerve cells. These antibodies
attach themselves to the virus,
making it incapable of damaging
the nerve cells. Paralysis results
only when nerve cells are damaged
by the virus.
8. How long does GG-induced
immunity last?
Approximately five weeks, if
given in proper doses based by
body weight.
a. Does GG always work?
No, but if injected at the right
time and in proper amount it may
provide some protection against
paralysis, according to March of
Dimes supported tests made in
1851 and 1852. Once the virus has
left the bloodstream and reached
the nerve cells, GG cannot alter
the course of the disease.
S. Is GG a cure for polio?
No. At best it is a temporary
preventive. There is no cure for
polio once the nerve cells have
been affected. But 500 of all pa
tients recover completely, 309o re-
cover with only slight weaknesses,
144o are paralyzed and only SO
die.
6. Is 1t expensive to buy?
You should not be able to buy
GG this year. All GG has been
placed in a national stockpile un-
der control of the Office of De-
fense Mobilization, a government
agency. The GG was furnished by
the American National Red Cross,
the Department of Defense and the
National Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis.
7. How Is 1t being distributed?
GG, being a part of blood which
is national resource in short sup
ply, is allocated and distributed by
the Office of Defense Mobilization,
a federal agency. 1t will be appor-
toned among State and Territorial
Health Officers who will decide
where and when and to whom it
may be given.
8. Is there source Of GG other
than human bIood7
No.
9. Is GG used for other diseases
besides polio?
Yes. It's greatest use up to this
year has been for measles. 1t is
now used also for infectious hep
atitis, a form of jaundice. Supplies
for use against these two diseases,
as well as polio, are being allocat-
ed by the ODM.
10. What is the dose for polio
and how much blood does It take :?
The dose is based on body
weight of the child to be temper
arily protected-0.14 cubic enti GU
bic centimeters per pound OF
weight. It takes a pint of blood to
produce about z cc's of gamma
globulin, enough for a 5O-lb. child
II. Is commercial GG different
from that made from RED CROSS
collected blood?
Probably not. Red Cross GG, the
kind that was used in March oi
Dimes field tests last year, was
made from the pooled blood oi
many donors who lived in MANY
parts of the country. Therefore, II
probably contained antibodies tc
all three of the known polio vir.
uses. Commercial GG is beine
tested now to determine whether
all three kinds of antibodies are ir
it. This is important because pro.
lection aaginst one of the polio
viruses does not provide protection
against the other two.
IL. Why does a GG shot las,
such a short time?
Because GG is gradually elimi
mated by the body. After about five
weeks the level of antibodies is tot
low to afford protection against
polio.
13. Does a GG shot for measIe.
also protect against polio?
Probably not. The dose for meas.
les is smaller. Also measles epi.
(demics usually occur several
months earlier than polio, so the
life span of the antibodies would
end before the polio season.