COMMON COLDS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 296, 11 July 1929, Page 3

COMMON COLDS.

CURED BY VACCINE.

The ccmoran cold has not been conquered, but Dr A. B, Pearson, pathoogist at the Christchurch Public Hospital, claims that a large number of colds have been prevented by. the injection of vaccine. The doctor explained to a Press reporter that all cases did not respond to this treatment, but those which did were immune from colds for a period of roughly two years. Whatever their results the use of vaccines was quite harmless. He himself had been using the treatment for many years,

and many other doctors had been doing so, too. Dr Pearson explained the facts on which this vaccine treatment was based. The present medical view was that the cold germ belonged to a group of ultra-microscopic germs called filterable viruses. Experience suggested that the ordinary bacteria, commonly associated with colds, were only secondary invaders. In most people the common germs of colds were in their throats, but were kept in check*by a healthy condition of the blood and tissues. Should some

; other germ intrude, it was likely that the blood, having little resistance, I took hold of it. Thus a breach was j formed, the common bacteria passed J into it, and a secondary condition was ! set up. The method by which the physician attacked these viruses was ! not to look for them. Instead he in- J jected the vaccine made from para- i sites, with the idea that the patient | would thereby be enabled to manufac- | ture his own antitoxins. A large per- I centage of cases treated for the com- j mon cold had been satisfactory, but the treatment of influenza had not j been so successful. He did not think, however, that the treatment lessened the tendencies to complications, such ' as pneumonia.