Report of experimental work on protective inoculation for anthrax and quarter ill / by William Robertson and John Penberthy.

  • Robertson, William, 1830-1887.
Date:
1887
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of experimental work on protective inoculation for anthrax and quarter ill / by William Robertson and John Penberthy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    tree unvaccinated. Strangely enough, with the exception of a considerable local swelling in one of the vaccinated calves at the seat of inoculation, and the elevation of its temperature on 'he following morning to 106-2°, there was no disturbance. The temperature of this animal dropped by degrees daily to fOormal. On return to College, a guinea-pig was inoculated with ine drop of muscle-juice, and three rabbits with three drops ach. The rabbits suffered no ill-effects, while the guinea-pig died of Quarter 111 in 28^ hours. The principal inference from this experiment, one item of which entailed lour journeys into the middle of Sussex, appears to be evidence in direction •of the view that circumstances may materially modify the in- ilecting power of the virus, or the susceptibility of the animal. To the fact of a mild attack of the naturally contracted disease -istablishing protection we shall again refer. In absence of satisfactory elucidation of the reason we must, at least for the lime, be content to accept it as an axiom that extrinsic and intrinsic conditions affecting the animal, and probably the firus, obtain to a greater extent in this than in many other contagious diseases. This bears out the result of clinical ob- servation generally as to its erratic occurrence. In order to give another trial to M. Arloing's vaccine powder, a fresh quantity was obtained from his agents in Paris, and on January 18th at the College, a heifer and steer, each about 10 months old, and a guinea-pig, were vaccinated in accordance with the directions with the powder. After the prescribed interval the process was completed. Careful obser- vation revealed no disturbance from the operation. On February 3rd, Mr. Godman of Woldingfold, Horsham, with whom we were previously in communication, wrote saying that one of his heifers was attacked with Quarter 111, and that he wished the remainder of his young stock protected. Ac- ' cordingly, on the following morning, Mr. Penberthy proceeded to Woldingfold, and vaccinated twenty-three animals with Arloing's No. 1 vaccine, intending to go down and finish the process in due course. The case of the heifer was characteristic, and some muscle-juice containing the virus in considerable numbers was used to test the effect of the powder on the vac- cinated steer and heifer at the College, and on a guinea-pig. In the case of the cattle a few drops were injected at 8.35 P.M. into the thigh of each, and one drop into the subcutaneous tissue of the guinea-pig. On the following morning the animals were noticeably ill. Symptoms of acute Quarter 111 developed ; the guinea-pig died 24j^ hours, the steer 44^ hours, and the
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