A PASTEUR INSTITUTE IN THE FAR EAST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14386, 31 May 1907, Page 11

A PASTEUR INSTITUTE IN THE FAR EAST.

In. the " World's Work " for February. Mrs G. M. Vassal gives an interesting account of tlio.rasteur Institute at Nha Trang,- a large fishing village on the Annamese coast in French IndoChina. The site was chosen by Dr Yersin, and the Institute, a largo, twostoreyed building with verandahs on each"'side, is close to the sea, quite separate from the native quarter. There nre the laboratories of Dr Yersm, Dr Vassal and,M. Schien, the veterinary surgeon, with administrative offices and nil the accommodation required for the weighing and treatment of annuals. The lustituto does not concern_ itself •with the treatment of rabies, it is a centre of research in the tropical infectious diseases of men and cattle, and microbiology in general. It also prepares every yeur a certain number of doses of anti-plaguo serum. During the last few years the Institute has devoted much time to jhe study of cattle plague, which claims a great many victims over the whole of Indo-Ohina. Tno serum now being tried is proving very efficacious. A groat many horses are wanted for the preparation of this plague eerum, and many cattle, for the cattle soruia. Only a few animals are kept at Nha Trang, which has very little vegetation near it; most of tho horses are at Suoi_ Giau, about fifteen miles away, and the cattle at a small island in Nha Trang Bay. Suoi Giau> or as it is called on maps, "Concession Yersm," is a large tract of land given to Dr Yersin by tho French Government of Irido-China; it its used not only a.s a farm for cattle, but as an experimental garden for trees and plants. Though an ideal place for both these purposes, it! is unhealthy ' for Europeans; but the health of tho chemist, M. Vernet, and the agriculturist of tno Institute, M. Teruiti, who live there, has much improved since wire gausse has been placed along the verandahs to protect the houses from inosquitos. This method of protection is being slowly adopted elsewhere; tho comfort of 'it, says airs Vassal, can be realised, only by those who have lived in a mosquitoinfested area. She never had a touch of fever while in tho tropics, and attributes this immunity wholly to the wire gausse. In addition to insect pests there are elephants and tigers to be coped with. Elephants will do irreparable damage to the trcea in a single night, and the Institute chemist onco killed three, within a fortnight. The roar of the tiger may bo heard any night from either of the two houses, as it prowk round the cattle-sheds; although traps are regularly set, sometimes cows are carried off in broad daylight. The chemist's house, which _is very large, has excellent laboratories and every chemical appliance needful for experiments with rubber-treee. which, if successful, win have farreaching consequences. New methods hs to cutting and bleeding the trees are being tried; a new instrument for 'catching tho milky fluid has boeu ininvented; and the trees are allowed to rest for different periods to provo which is the most efficacious. Coffee, tobacco and cocoa grow readily, the ground and climate being suitable in ©very way. The cattle on the island aro allowed to run wild, and almost re* turn to their eavage state, but Dr Yorsin sometimes visits tho island in his motor-launch, when they arp driven down to the coast for his inspection. Cows are keut at the Institute, but tho business of milking is very serious, tho natives having to be taught .the art, m they themselves never drink milk, and the cows greatly resent tho treatment. The Institute also has a water-tower »nd an ice-maohine. Ico is necessary to keep the serums in good condition, and the Europeans at the post are allowed to buy it. Dr Vassal, the medical officer, receives all hie European and native patients at the Institute. During the last year the natives were so numerous that ho has turned an Annamese hut in the grounds of the Institute into a little mfirniajy for them. The Annamese, never having been attended by a European doctor before, were at first very diffident about coming, and the first cases brought to Dr Vassal were all of a hopeless character. The case of an Annameso, however, who had been bitten by a dangerous snako, and who recovered after inoculation with Calmette's untivenomouo f-eraui, raised <ho doctor's reputation jiniong them. Later he performed a successful operation on a member of the royal family (for which he received a curious and elaborate decoration from the King of Annam), and now he is implicitly trusted by all the natives of tho district. Medical attendance on natives has its. drawbacks, chiefly due to their superstitions, but, on tho other hand, the way in which they recover after an operation is most encouraging. The necessity of having natives as servants and helpers either in tho laboratory or the infirmary is a serious difficulty. Though skilful in holding the animals while temperatures are taken, etc., they show a lamentable lack of patience, cleanliness and general attention'to detail.