THE DOG’S WORST ENEMY

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1932, Page 12

THE DOG’S WORST ENEMY

NEW CURE FOR DISTEMPER NEW ZEALAND A PARTICIPATOR. KENNEL MAIDS IN CANINE FORT. (From A Correspondent.) London, April 20. A fresh victory has been scored in the fight against distemper, the scourge of the dog world. Many New Zealanders contributed to the Field Distemper Fund for research, which led to the discovery of a, suroessful vaccine against the disease. Now Dr. I’; Laidlaw, F.R.S., and Major G. W. Dunkin, the two experts who conducted the previous research, have discovered a which can be used aS a treatment for a sick dog as Well as a protection against infection. The story of the research which led up to this scientific triumph was told me yesterday at the British Medical Research Council’s farm laboratories by Major G. W* Dunkin. First of all he showed me how the experimental dogs are kept free from every possible source of infection. If they became infected, the work would be ruined. They are isolated as rigidly as lepers in a sort of canine fortress. Their kennels are located in the middle of a field, and a high, thick wall all round prevents the entry of so much as a fieldmouse. SCIENTIFIC KENNEL MATES. No one is allowed to go near them except two kennel-maids, who live under strict discipline. Every time, one of them goes out she has to submit to an elaborate disinfection process on her return. This includes ft disinfected bath and a complete change of clothing. Her working clothes ard never allowed to leave the compound. These two kennel-maids must bo the most germ-free girl* in England. Every bit of food given to the dogs is sterilised or boiled. The dogs themselves are pictures of,health and good spirits. They suffer no pain or discomfort in the course of their carefree germ-free existence. > The scientists’ first discovery, made soon after the work started in 1923, was that distemper was caused by a virus—a member of that family of incredibly minute, invisible organisms which cause such diseases as measles, influenza and infantile paralysis. Then it was found that ferrets suffered from distemper and could be used for experiments, and a, vaccine for ferret distemper was worked out. This was made from the ground-up tissues of ferrets which had been attacked by the virus. The virus itself was killed by adding formalin to the tissues. The vaccine was injected into the ferret, and followed, in about 10 days’ time, by a large dose of the living distemper virus. This conferred upon the ferret complete immunity to distemper. The ferret vaccine gave disappointing results with dogs. It was clear that dog must be used for dog. The spleen of infected dogs, in which the virus had been killed by formalin, was used. This worked perfectly, and immunity was obtained. [BATTLES IN THE BLOOD. The discovery of a “serum” is a further step. A dog responds to the vaccine by forming and storing in its blood reserves of “antibodies,” defence forces which fight the invading germs. If a dog is repeatedly inoculated with virus it will form huge quantities of these defensive antibodies, winchman then be injected into susceptible dogs. The injected antibodies reinforce 411 c small garrison already holding the fort in the dog’s blood. If, at the same time, a dose of living distemper virus is injected into the dog on the other side of the body, the dog will win its fight against the disease. It then 'becomes immune. Thousands of dogs all over Great Britain have been successfully immunised. A few years ago distemper wiped out whole litters of foxhounds every year, but now nearly all "the puppies are vaccinated at an early stage and the sport of foxhunting is.saved large sums. Both virus and serum have been exported to the Dominions and Colonies, India, China and elsewhere. For some time there was great difficulty in keeping the virus alive during the journey, for the liquid virus only retains its potency for a few days. But a new method of drying the virus was ,worked out and supplies have recently been sent overseas. In nearly every instance they have retained full potency. Scientists now believe that, with proper care, the virus can be sent anywhere in the world.