GERM OF MEASLES

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20509, 27 May 1938, Page 7

GERM OF MEASLES

AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY PREVENTION OF THE DISEASE vUnited Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON. May 26 Dr. Harry Plotz, head of the laboratory at the Pasteur Institute, told the French Academy of Medicine that he had discovered the germ which causes measles, says the Paris correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. Dr. Plotz said the germ was a “filterable virus.” He believed it would be possible to develop a serum or vaccine to prevent the disease, but it might take years of research. il authority in \iiekiand stated last night that* the announcement x\a> most interesting to Ihe profession. In his opinion it would pro\e to be a very important discovery which might provide a lead into a number of diseases, such as influenza, regarding which the profession had only ,1 xjgue knowledge. The germ had obviously been identified by a series of tests, and the task of preparing a vaccine or scrum xxould no doubt be a long process. ■ experimental stag', but there was no question that a man in the position of Dr. Plotz was sufficiently responsible not to make such an announcement unless the experiment had proved entirely satisfactory.