VALUABLE WORK DONE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 809, 8 July 1933, Page 11

VALUABLE WORK DONE.

Successful Treatments in Christchurch. The news that an important discovery relating to the treatment of influenza has been made by members of the Medical Research Council has excited wide interest in the medical profession in Christchurch and. prob ably, every centre in the world, for since the devastating epidemic of 191? a great deal of research work has been done in this direction. Medical opinion had swung between the bacillus and the ultra-microscopic virus theories, said Dr A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the Christchurch Hospital, when approached on the subject this morning. The influenza bacillus had been first isolated in 1892, but there had been difficulties in transmitting it. Research workers had not been able to get a typical influenza illness with it, although they had been able to produce blood poisoning. The most interesting part of the cablegram to Dr Pearson was the statement that it had been discovered that ferrets which had recovered from the infection were thereafter immune, and that the serum of human convalescents was capable of neutralising the virus of the ferrets’ disease. Dr Pearson recalled that in 1923 there was an epidemic of pneumonic influenza—six wards had to be used at the Christchurch Hospital to accommodate the patients—and it was decided to use the serum of convalescent patients on other patients. Approximately 200 cases were treated in this manner, and the staff was astounded and delighted at the results. Treatment a Success. Dr Pearson said that some members of the medical profession were rather inclined to criticise his decision to use this serum, and had ascribed the success of the treatment to the fact that he and those associated with him were only dealing with one type of pneu monic influenza. He had disagreed with that contention because of the experience which he had had, and since that time he had used the serum from time to time in other cases. The treatments had been successful. At the present time the supplies of this serum were exhausted, added Dr Pearson, and they were always glad if patients who were recovering would allow* blood to be taken from them in order that supplies might be kept on hand. The experience at the Christchurch Hospital had been that the taking of blood for this purpose did not interfere with the recovery of the patient. A peculiar effect of the 1918 epidemic was mentioned by Dr Pearson. He said that when he first came to New Zealand he was impressed by the fact that, in examining specimens, the presence of the influenza bacillus was a rarity Probably not more than four per cent of the specimens revealed the bacillus, whereas in England every other specimen showed it. Then came the 191? epidemic, and since then the proportions had been much the same as in England, approximately 50 per cent of the specimens showing the bacillus. This proportion was still being main tained.