TUBERCULOSIS MICROBES

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2667, 4 December 1923, Page 1

TUBERCULOSIS MICROBES

. SLAIN BY WORM'S BLOOD. SCIENTIST’S DISCOVERY. A simple worm, scientifically known as “galleria melionella,” may be the salvation of millions of human lives according to the conclusions el Professor Metalnikov, a Russian scientist attached to the Pasteur Institute, France, after experiments lasting since 1908. The “galleria milioneila,” according to Metalnikov. is the only living tiling absolutely immune to tuberculosis. From its blood the Russian scientist, is now engaged in producing an anti-tubercular serum on which the famous Pasteur Institute pins high hopes. In 1920 Metalnikov prepared a culture of fubercnle microbes at the highest degree of virulence. He injected the'fortieth of a cubic centimeter of this culture into the worm, corresponding to a quart and a half of liquid injected into Ibe veins of a human being. Tf such an injection had been made into the veins of a man lie would have died in short order. But the worm seemed to like the microbes, lie evinced not the slightest sign of a malady. On exnminnliun of the worm’s blood ii was found that all the fubeivule microbes were dead —killed with incredible rapidity by something —some unknown property —in the worm’s vital lluid. This “something’’ it was discovered dissolved the protective layer of wax which envelopes the Koch hneeilus and which makes il so hard for ordinary serums to -lay. This wax gone, the microbe is helpless before the normal aftark- of the “good" microbes found in (‘very living organism, Metalnikov is now trying to extract from the blood of the worm the contrapoison and digestive sugar which allows the creature to live in security from consumption. For two years he has spent seven hours daily at this task, discarding method after method, and he announces now that he is within sight of success.