FIGHT AGAINST INFLUENZA.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20903, 10 July 1933, Page 10

FIGHT AGAINST INFLUENZA.

+ VALUABLE WORK DONE. TREATMENTS IN CHRISTCHUHCH Research work dealing with the treatment of influenza has been beset with difficulties for many years, but the recent report of an important discovery recorded by the "Lancet'' gives an indication that definite progress is being made in the fight against a disease which has taken toll of a great number of lives. In Christehureh the treatment of the infection by the use of sera taken from convalescents, although some members of the medical profession were inclined to regard it critically, has been adopted with success in a number of cases, according to Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the Christchurch Public Hospital. Medical opinion had swung between the bacillus and the ultramicroscopic virus theories, remarked Dr. Pearson in an interview on the subject. The influenza bacillus had been isolated for the first time in 1892, but there had been difficulties found when it was attempted to transmit it, he said, and research workers had not been able to obtain a typical influenza illness with it. although they had been able to produce blood poisoning.

He considered that the most interesting item in the cable news was the statement that it had been discovered that ferrets which had recovered from the infection were thereafter immune, and that the serum of human convalescents was capable of neutralising the virus of the ferret's disease. He recalled that m the epidemic of pneumonic influenza in 1923 it had been decided to use the serum of convalescent patients on the other patients. There had been approximately 200 persons treated in this manner, and the results had astounded and delighted the staff. Some members of the medical profession had shown an inclination to criticise his decision to use this serum, Dr. Pearson said, and had attributed the success of the treatment to the fact that only one type of influenza was being dealt with. At the time he had disagreed with this contention because of the experience which he had had, and since then he had used the serum in other cases with success. The supplies of this serum were being exhausted, he said, and the hospital authorities would welcome offers from patients who were recovering from the infection to allow blood to be taken from them so that the supplies might be augmented. It had been found at the hospital that the taking of blood for this purpose did not interfere with the recovery of the patient.