RINDERPEST

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4319, 30 March 1901, Page 8 (Supplement)

RINDERPEST

Although Professor Koch asserted —at least, according to his laboratory experiments at Kimberley—-that his method was infallible, it proved much less satisfactory when tried on a large scale. His sudden departure for India, where he was sent by Government to study tho bubonic plague, made a very bad impression in Capo Colony, especially in localities where his method had failed. In the meantime, Drs Danyst and Bordet, of the Pans Pasteur Institute, were working near Pretoria. In last June they discovered a new method of inoculation, much bettor than that of tho Gorman professor, and at a meeting, to which all tho Governments of South Africa sent representatives, their method was declared to bo the best and most reliable. Tho Koch method was approved of as being useful to prevent disease far from the seats of epidemic, but where an outbreak had occurred the Congress only authorised the method of the two French doctors. In some districts tho Koch method was of great aid, out often only one half of the number of cattle wore saved. Sometimes it was quite useless; besides Ule immunity it conferred was of short duration-—six weeks .or two months. The DauyslBordct method, on the contrary, regularly saves ninety per cent, of the cattle; sometimes 100 per cent. Thus South African farmers whose hprds are not yet attacked will bo rescued from ruin which in many localities has plunged numbers into the greatest misery.