THE SPAHLINGER SERUM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2581, 17 May 1923, Page 4

THE SPAHLINGER SERUM.

METHOD OF PREPARATION.

PROLONGATION OF LIFE

Ministry of Health experts who have investigated the new Spahlinger treatment for tuberculosis, have come to the conclusion that the results obtained fully warrant further investigation as soon as a supply of the complete serum and vaccine is available, says a London paper, Mr Neville Chamberlain, Minister of Health,“’said in the House of Commons that he was most anxious to encourage further trial of the remedies in this country as soon as possible. The new serum, which many medical men declare represents the most successful effort yet made to rid the world of consumption, was discovered in 1921 by Dr. Henri Spahlinger, a young but world-famous Swiss scientist. Dr. Spahlinger himself is confident that he has found an absolute cure even in the advanced stages of disease but his present difficulty is to produce sufficient serum. He keeps in his laboratory at Geneva a veritable genu factory, where tuberculosis genus thrive in glass tubes. The stables are full of horses and cows, and there are many pens of guinea pigs, all of which are used to prepare nn-ti-toxins.

Dr Spahlinger in preparing his anti-toxin, puts the tubercular germs through a special process in order to stimulate them to virulence, or to force them to exemle strong poisons. These toxins are then injected into the animals, whose healthy bodies fight the poisons till the animals have reached a stage of immunity from attack. The germs in the blood of the animals are then drawn off in small quantities, furnishing the serums which are used in the treatment of advanced cases of tuberculosis. Several horses are required in order to prepare a complete serum, a proecs which takes anything from one to four years.

Subtle injections of ferments from the serum are stated to have resulted in a rejuvenation and prolongation of the life of the body that equal if they do not surpass, the curative effects of the serum injected in the consumptive. Scientists have declared that the serum may prolong the span of human life to one hundred and fifty years. Dr. Spahlinger has announced that he does not intend to keep his discovery secret, hut to olter it freely to all sufferers throughout the, world. Various Governments, including the British Government, have sent missions of inquiry and he has made arrangements to pass on the secret to them on condition that the products shall be sold at cost price to the poor and distributed free in institutions where treatment is free.