German Measles Danger

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30578, 22 October 1964, Page 2

German Measles Danger

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 21. For the sake of the unborn, girls from puberty onward will probably be the first to receive vaccinations to prevent German measles. Clinical trials of a new vaccine might be held during the next year, according to a Canadian expert interviewed in Wellington today. Officers Elected The retiring president of the Christchurch branch of the Sacred Heart College, Timaru Past Pupils’ Association (Mrs J. H. Butler) welcomed members to the recent annual meeting. Officers elected were: president, Mrs M. B. Upjohn; secretary, Mrs M. B, Kilbride; committee, Mesdames M. Butler, A. Rennie, M. Mercer, N. White, Misses P. McQuilken and K. O’Connor. Home .Science. Officers elected at the annual meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Association of Home Science Alumnae were: President, Mrs G. Turner; vicepresident, Miss L. Coleman; secretary, Mrs J. Bridger; assistant secretary. Mrs M. Sandston; committee, Mesdames A. Rees, V. Morrison, and V. Taylor, Misses E. Courten, M. McCrostie and H. Hood.

He is Dr. J. K. W. Ferguson, director of the Connaught medical research laboratories, a non-profit organisation owned by the University of Toronto. His laboratories played a leading part in the development and production of the Salk anti-polio vaccine. Asked what current research project was uppermost, Dr. Ferguson said they had been very busy on measles and German measles vaccines. “These would be aimed at girls before marriage, in the expectation of preventing deafness and deformities that threaten babies whose mothers have German measles in the early stage of pregnancy," he said. Good Prospects "I think the prospects are very good. The virus has been isolated and we’re producing it in a very pure state suitable for modern vaccine application. There may be clinical trials during the next year. “I am sure many other laboratories are at about the same state of advancement in th’s direction,” he said. Dr. Ferguson considered the nature of the virus was such that application by hypodermic injection was indicated rather than orally. A long-range project he said was the continued hunt for a method of oral application in lieu of injections of insulin for diabetics.

He noted an increasing number of children with diabetes, “undoubtedly due to the reproduction of diabetic parents.” He would not say it was a serious increase but it was perceptible. The ailment in such child-

ren was usually more severe and could seldom be treated with diabetic pills, which were more applicable generally to cases where the patient was much older when diabetes developed. Today Dr. Ferguson visited the National Health Institute in Wellington.