CHAPTER IX 



PROTECTIVE INOCULATION AGAINST PLAGUE 1 



Since the appearance of epidemic plague at Bombay 

 in 1896 Dr. Haffkine has employed on a considerable 

 scale as a protective inoculation the sterilised broth 

 culture of virulent plague bacilli, which is now known as 

 Haffkine's plague prophylactic fluid. From time to time 

 since 1898 Reports have been published from the Bombay 

 Laboratory and from different localities in India giving 

 an account and statistical tables of the results of the 

 prophylactic injection of the fluid by Haffkine, his 

 assistants, and different medical officers. From these 

 Reports it appears that as to the real prophylactic value 

 of these injections there can be no manner of doubt. The 

 Indian Plague Commission (Report, vol. v.) critically 

 sifted the evidence brought before them by Haffkine and 

 by many other medical officers, and although some of the 

 statistics produced were not admitted by them to be 

 satisfactorily collected and did not conclusively prove in 

 the particular instances the value claimed for the 

 injections, there nevertheless were available statistics from 

 a number of places, such as jails and hospitals, which 

 in the opinion of the Commissioners fully established 



1 Report of the Medical Officer of the Local Government Board for 1901-1902, 

 p. 357 and passim. 



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