154 CLINICAL BACTERIOLOGY AND 



nil. We must look, then, for the sequelae of influenza to 

 account for the percentage of fatalities; and this is just 

 what we see in practice. 



If we are, therefore, in a position to fortify the system 

 against the causative bacteria producing the complications, 

 obviously we shall succeed in reducing the death-rate to 

 a large degree. The more important complications, as we 

 all know, are pneumonia, purpura, strangles. 



In the majority of influenzal outbreaks in a stud, one 

 animal only at the outset sickens, and most probably this is 

 the carrier of the infection. In the course of one or 

 several days others may show premonitory symptoms. 

 This clearly gives to the practitioner a clue to the 

 degree of infectivity of the virus on the one hand, and 

 the natural resisting forces of his patients on the other. 

 In addition, the first animal to become affected affords 

 material for a bacteriological investigation on the part of 

 the practitioner, which the writer submits he owes as a duty 

 to his client and to his own reputation. 



For by so doing an outbreak not only might be robbed 

 of its power of producing monetary losses in the shape 

 of sacrificed lives, but the animals themselves, if they 

 became affected, would be restored to work much sooner by 

 using up-to-date prophylactic and curative measures. 



In these days it is no credit to us, as a profession, to lose 

 patients from the complicated sequels following upon in- 

 fluenza, and it is clearly our duty to ward against such risks. 



How is this to be done ? By immunization. 



A careful microscopical examination should be made 

 of the morbid material taken from the nostrils, if any; 

 the purulent discharge from an abscess, if present; and, if 

 need be, a microscopical investigation of the patient's blood 

 should be carried out. In this way a fairly accurate diag- 

 nosis of the bacteria present will be arrived at. Biological 

 investigations should now be instituted with a view to 

 confirming and adding to the microscopical diagnosis, and 

 also preparatory to the making of the necessary vaccines. 



