SPAHLINGER’S TESTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 10, 9 December 1926, Page 7

SPAHLINGER’S TESTS

PREVENTION OF TUBERCULOSIS. AMAZING RESULTS WITH CATTLE. • V HUMANITY MAY BE RELIEVED OF TERRIBLE MALADY. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received December 9, 9.35 a.m. GENEVA, Dec. 8. M. Spahlinger’s bovine tests have been successfully completed. He succeeded in immunising cattle against tuberculosis on the same principle as human beings are vaccinated against smallpox. , The experiments were conducted under the strict supervision of M. Antonine Bron, President of the Geneva Government, and M.' Larue, M. Montant, official veterinary surgeons. Two groups of calves of the same age, weight and breed were all certified to be free from tuberculosis. MSpahlinger vaccinated one group with the simplified bovine vaccines on which he has been experimenting for years. M. Spahlinger had refused offers to commercialise the vaccines because he wanted to produce them so cheaply that they would be within the reach of everyone and, therefore, he concentrated on simplifying the methods of immunisation and curing. J The methods are now described in various forms. Quantities of simplified vaccines were used on heifers with the view to ascertaining:

(1) What combination of vaccines and wliat dosage woutd prevent a vaccinated calf from contracting tuberculosis when innoculated with a moderate dose of a virulent virus such as that 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.

Alter M. Spahlinger’s vaccination virus was taken from virulent cultures of bovine tubercle and rendered hypertoxic by his method of irritating the strains, equal quantities of these germs were placed in ampullas and handed to M. Bron in whose possession they remained until the calves had been injected. After the virus had been injected all the animals were placed in the keeping of Geneva State officials, who alone had access to them during the experiments.

The results of the tests can only be described as amazing. All the cattle vaccinated with M. Spahlinger’s simplified bovine vaccines successfully resisted infection and showed no trace of • tuberculosis at the autopsy, says M. Larue, whereas all the unvaccinated calves had developed progressive tuberculosis. M. Bron, in confirming the result, adds that 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 bo relieved of one of its most appalling maladies. —A. and N.Z. cable.