46 ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



Recognizing the weakness of the passive immunity pro- 

 duced by the injection of serum from convalescents and 

 its short duration, certain French physicians follow the 

 injection of the serum from convalescents two days later 

 with an injection of a nitrate containing the active cause 

 of measles. In this way they claim to produce an active 

 as well as a passive immunity without any considerable 

 illness. The induced immunity, it is claimed, is more 

 potent and endures longer. The observations have not 

 been verified. 



The 'artificial production of immunity against measles 

 has not made much headway in general health depart- 

 ment practice, nor will it until some large donor animal 

 replaces human beings as the source of supply of vaccine. 



PNEUMONIA 



The year 1923-24 witnessed a very great increase in in- 

 terest in the control of pneumonia. This interest is 

 shown by elaborate and extensive investigations of the 

 disease by the Pittsburg and the Chicago Health depart- 

 ments. As yet, neither has reported. The Chicago 

 Health department will gather data until September 30, 

 and they will begin reporting before Christmas. But the 

 very fact that the communities are manifesting their in- 

 terest by studies is an advance. 



VENEREAL DISEASES 



The State of Illinois and the city of Chicago have taken 

 some advance steps in the control of venereal disease 

 during the year. From the administrative standpoint, 

 the adoption of: 



(1) Rules and regulations for the control of venereal 

 disease; 



(2) Standards of infeetivity; 



(3) Standard Laboratory Methods; 



(4) Standard Clinic methods; 



represents a gain. These rules and methods are in op- 

 eration. 



There is frequent complaint of lack of definiteness and 

 detail in health ordinances, orders and rules. The courts 

 have not infrequently criticised such laws on this ground. 



