Febi'uary I2th, iQOO.'] Procekdincs. xxiii 



greatly, some may be pathogenic but all are not so, and none 

 has far been discovered which has an effective influence on the 

 lym[)h as a vaccine material. The presence of certain bacteria 

 in vaccine lymph is evidence of its impurity, and is the cause 

 of pathogenic results, such as syphilis and erysipelas, which 

 sometimes follow vaccination. 



By the present method of glycerinating the lymph, ndopted 

 by the Government, the danger of pathogenic results following 

 vaccination is rendered almost impossible. For the purpose of 

 obtaining stores of lymph young healthy female calves are taken, 

 their abdomens thoroughly cleansed, shaved and sterilised, and 

 afterwards inoculated in a number of incisions with calf lymph 

 which is proved to be free from bacteria. At the end of five 

 days the resulting vaccine vessicles and lymph are removed, 

 under aseptic conditions, and transferred to sterilised tubes ; the 

 calf is then killed and a post-mortem examination made by a 

 veterinary surgeon. Should it be found that the calf has been 

 suffering from any form of disease, the whole of the lymph 

 obtained from the animal is destroyed- But if it is shewn to 

 have been a perfectly healthy animal, the lymph is thoroughly 

 triturated by a mechanical process, and afterwards mixed up 

 with definite proportions of chemically pure glycerine and distilled 

 water. The resulting emulsion is then stored in sealed tubes 

 and microscopically examined periodically. At the end of four 

 weeks' time the lymph is found to be free from micro-organisms 

 of every kind and to be perfectly pure. 



The advantages claimed for the system are the production 

 of a vaccine lymph which is absolutely free from pathogenic and 

 other micro-organisms, the impossibility of transmitting disease 

 by means of the lymph, the ease by which the glycerinated emul- 

 sion may be used and handled, the length of time (six to eight 

 months) during which the material will remain pure, and the 

 great increase in the amount of lymph emulsion available for 

 vaccination purposes ; the elimination of the bacteria and the 

 addition of glycerine in no way interfering with its effectiveness 

 as a vaccine, but rather rendering it more efficient. 



