CONSUMPTION SERUM

Evening Star, Issue 18263, 1 May 1923, Page 7

CONSUMPTION SERUM

ALL CHILDREN MAY BE INOCULATED. GENEVA METHOD. £IOO,OOO NEEDED FOR ENGLISH INSTITUTE. The time is coming when children will bo inoculated at birth against tuberculosis, as they aro now against small-pox. I have complete faith in our power to conquer completely even tins dread disease. ' This statement was made by an eminent Harley street physician to the ‘ Westminster Gazette ’ in a talk on the Spahlinger cure for tuberculosis by vaccination. “It is as great an advance on the' sanatorium methods as these aro on previous ones,” ho continued. “The main fault oftho sanatorium is that it makes patients morbidly introspective. They find _ themselves segregated from the active interests of life, and do little but talk tuberculosis from morning to night, and make themselves dcuccdly miserable.” An effort is being made, the specialist explained, to establish an institute in England for treatment by tho Spahlinger method. Its great advantage is that, except in very advanced cases, hospital or sanatorium treatment is not necessary; the patient can obtain his vaccine injection over the week-end, and carrv on his occupation during the week. In 1913-14 some thirty-five grave cases were treated successfully by the method at tho City of London, St. George’s, and French Hospitals in London. Since then many eminent physicans, as well as exports of the Ministry of Health and the British .Reel Cross Society, have investigated Spahlinger’s work at Geneva—among them Sir Robert Philip, professor of tuberculosis, Edinburgh, the late Professor Ritchie, the Edinburgh Bacteriologist, and the late Professor Dean, tho Manchester Pathologist. It was mainly on the recommendations of these experts that the British Red Cross decided to devote £30,000 for the treatment of cases in England. Tho sera and vaccines, which are the fruit of years of patient research, have cured even acute advanced cases. SPAHLINGER IMPOVERISHED. Three to four years are requited for their preparation, and great expense is involved in the maintenance of farm and laboratories, and the provision of horses. This has previously been borne entirely by Mr Spahlinger and an English friend who introduced the remarkable discovery to this country. “ Spahlinger has so impoverished himself by his magnificent work,” explained the specialist already quoted, “ that he finds ho cannot go on producing the necessary sera and vaccines without substantial help. He will not publish tho formulae hecnuso_ he knows very well that unauthorised persons would exploit them, with the result that the method would bo discredited.

“ All our present systems of inoculation will have to be revised on the basis of the principles underlying his work.”

To remove immediate embarrassment, and establish an institute in England, some £IOO,OOO is required, and Major General Sir Frederick Maurice, Archdeacon MacMillan, Mr David Hayes, and Mr R. 11. Hyde-Thomsori, who have consented to act as trustees, are appealing for funds.