FIGHTING WHITE SCOURGE

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1926, Page 7

FIGHTING WHITE SCOURGE

THE SPAHLINGER VACCINE GREAT SUCCESS CLAIMED EXPERIMENTS ON ANIMALS By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Geneva, Dec. 8. M. Spahlinger’s bovine tests have been i successfully completed. He succeeded in immunising cattle against tuberculosis on the same principle as human beings are vaccinated against smallpox. The experiments were conducted under the strict supervision of Antonine Bron (president of the Geneva Government), M. Larne and M. Montaut (official veterinary surgeons). • Two groups of calves, .of the same •age, weight and breed, were all certified free from tuberculosis. M. Spahj linger vaccinated one group with the 'simplified bovine vaccines on which he Jias been experimenting for years. He .had refused offers to commercialise the (vaccines because he wanted to produce ■ them so cheaply that they would be wrfhin tho reach of everyone. Therefore he concentrated on simplifying the methods of immunisation and curing. The methods are now described in vari. ■ous forms. Quantities of the simplified vaccines were used on heifers with a view of ascertaining, firstly, what combination of vaccines and what dosage would pre.vent a vaccinated calf from contracting (tuberculosis when inoculated with a moderate dose of the virulent virus such ;as encountered by animals in normal life; secondly, what combination and dosage would prevent a vaccinated calf contracting tuberculosis when injected with massivo doses of the virus after ■M. Spahlinger’s vaccination. . Virus was taken from virulent cultures of bovine tubercle and rendered hypnotic by Spahlinger’s method of irritating the strains, after which equal quantities of these germs were placed 'in ampullae and handed to M. Bron, in whoso possession they remained untl the calves had been injected. After the virus had been injected all the animals were placed in the keeping of Geneva State officials, who alone had access to them during the. experiments. • “The results of the tests can only bo described as amazing. All the cattle vaccinated with M. Spahlinger’s simplified bovine vaccines successfully resisted infection and showed no trace of tuberculosis at an autopsy,” says M. Larne, "whereas all the unvaeeinated ‘.calves developed progressive tuberculosis.” M. Bron, confirming the result, adds that the experiment was successful beyond all hopes. The results now open a new horizon of preventive immunisation of cattle and justify a hope that before long humanity will be relieved of one of its most appalling maladies.