TUBERCULOSIS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19720, 10 December 1926, Page 7

TUBERCULOSIS

SUCCESSFUL BOVINE TESTS SIMPLIFIED VACCINES REMARKABLE RESULTS ACHIEVED JUSTIFY HOPE FOR HUMANITY. DR. SPAHLINGER’S TRIUMPH. By Telegraph—Per Press Assn. —Copyright. GENEVA, Dec. 8. Dr. Spahlinger's bovine tests have been successfully completed and he has ; succeeded in immunising cattle against tuberculosis on the same principle as human beings are vaccinated against smallpox. Experiments were conducted under the strict supervision of M. Antonine Bron, President of the Geneva Government, Monsieur Larue and Monsibur Montant, official surgeons. Two groups of calves of the same ago, weight, and breed were all certified free from tuberculosis. Dr. Spahlinger vaccinated one group with simplified bovine vaccines on which he has been experimenting for years. Dr. Spahlinger had refused offers to commercialize the vaccines because he wanted to produce them so cheaply that they would be within the reach of everyone. Therefore he concentrated on simplifying the methods of immunisation and the curing methods aro now described in various forms. Object of Experiments. Quantities of simplified vaccines were used on the heifers with a view to ascertaining (1) what combination of vaccines and what dosage would prevent a vaccinated calf from contracting tuberculosis when inoculated with a moderate dose of virulent virus, such 33 encountered by animals in normal life; (2) what combination and dosage would prevent a vaccinated calf contracting tuberculosis when injected with massive doses of virus. After Dr. Spahlinger’s vaccination virus was taken from the virulent cultures of the bovine tubercle and rendered hypertoxic by Dr. Spahlinger’? method of irritating the strains, after which equal* quantities of these germs were placed in ampullas and handed to Monsieur Bron, in whwe possession they remained until the calves had been injected. Amazing Results. After the virus had been injected all the animals were place! in the keeping of Geneva State officials,, who alone had access to them during the experiment. The results of the tests can only be described as amazing. 4 4 All the cattle vaccinated with Dr. Spahlinger’s simplified bovine vaccines successfully resisted infection and showed no trace of tuberculosis at the autopsy,” says Monsieur Larue, 4 4 whereas all the uuvaccinated calves had developed progressive tuberculosis.” Monsieur Bron, in confirming the result, adds: 44 The experiment was successful beyond all hopes. The results now open a new horizon of preventive immunisation of cattle and justify the hope that before long humanity will be relieved of one of its most appalling maladies.”