GENERAL SUMMARY OF USE OF SERUM 415 



injected with the serum seems to spend its force within the body 

 of the animal, and as the serum injected with the virus prevents 

 the formation of new amounts of the virus, there does not seem to 

 be any throwing off of active virus bodies in the discharges of the 

 animal so treated. 



(13) In using the double injection we are dealing with a method 

 of treatment which in the hands of a competent man is just as safe 

 as the single treatment, and it has the decided advantage that by 

 its use there is created a permanent protection against hog- 

 cholera, and the animal can stand repeated exposure to the dis- 

 ease with no bad results. 



(14) Outbreaks of cholera following the use of the double 

 method of treatment have never occurred where a tested serum was 

 used by a competent man. Those outbreaks which have followed 

 the use of this method of treatment have been due either to the 

 use of a poor grade of serum or to lack of knowledge as to how the 

 treatment should be given. 



No man should be allowed to handle virus, or give the simul- 

 taneous method of treatment, unless he has a thorough knowledge 

 of the agents with which he is dealing, and especially a complete 

 understanding of the dangerous character of hog-cholera virus 

 when improperly used. 



It is an excellent plan, and one which is being followed by the 

 majority of the state serum plants, not to allow the use of virus by 

 anyone unless they have visited a serum plant and taken a thorough 

 course of instruction as to the dangers of this agent and the methods 

 of its use. 



Dr. Peters, who until recently was the director of the Illinois 

 State Serum Plant at Springfield, Illinois, says, in commenting on 

 the need for careful supervision over the use of virus by those who 

 do not understand its use, "I would not give serum to my own 

 brother to administer by this simultaneous method unless he would 

 come down and stay in the laboratory until he had learned how the 

 work should be done." 



As a result of the extreme care which surrounds the issuing of 

 virus permits in the State of Illinois, Dr. Peters is able to report 

 some most excellent results following the use of the simultaneous 

 method in his state. He states that during the year 1912 fifteen 



