ARTIFICIAL VIRUS FOR PLEUROPNEUMONIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1189, 12 September 1874, Page 6

ARTIFICIAL VIRUS FOR PLEUROPNEUMONIA.

We (Town and Country) are informed by Mr. Pottie that, after two years' investigation, he has discovered a chemical compound which is equally efficacious in the prevention of pleuro-pneumonia as is the virus which is taken from the lungs of a diseased animal. Most of our readers are aware that although in all countries this virus has been found perfectly efficacious in the prevention of that deadly disease, pleuro-pneumonia epizootica, yet it is attended with great danger. Many a man anxious to get his cattle inoculated has gone miles for the pure virus, and with the virus has introduced the disease among animals which it was not convenient at the time to inoculate. Besides this, after inoculation with the pleuro virus there is from this cause often a goodly number of deaths ; swellings take place at the root of the tail, and many a good animal dies. This wonderful discovery of Mr. Potties never produces any such bad effect. The other virus, too, is apt to lose its strength, but this prepared by the discoverer keeps for years. Mr. Pottie has sent a report of these facts to the Government of New South Wales, and has also put himself in communication with the Governments of the other colonies. Unquestionably, it is of all discoveries yet made one of immense importance, not only to the colonies but to the world, as the belief in inoculation is yearly becoming stronger ; indeed some have thought that it is more than problematical that this same chemical compound may answer the purpose of vaccination for human beings. It will, of course, be altogether free from the objections laid against the transfusion of lymph from one child to another ; at any rate, it has been demonstrated to be perfectly efficacious in pleuro. Several gentlemen, well known in cattle circles, have used it, and we shall soon hear what they have to say about it. In the meantime, a dairy lot of cattle were inoculated with this virus within a few miles of Sydney, on Sir Daniel Cooper's estate. The3e cattle were very bad with pleuro ; all that took ill died, and the disease had gone on for- many months before the owners consented to inoculate. At last it was done. Four animals were then ill ■—the other ten showed no symptoms. Those which were sick got better next week, and not a single case of pleuro has been seen since. A number of gentlemen go out from Sydney to investigate the conditions of tin's great discovery. Some of the cows were far gone in calf, and most were milking, and yet the operation in no way interfered with them. As this is a matter of great public interest, being a great public boon, and at the same time the compound is remarkably cheap — virus for 1000 head not costing more than 80s. — we trust that Mr. Pottie may succeed in introducing the matter to the authorities of the continent.