1026 SOCIÉTÉ DE BIOLOGIK 



or further back in the rest cantonments or even further still in the 

 instruction centers, ail of this prophylactic treatment bas been put into 

 practice. 



The stationarj^ character of trench warfare has made possible the iso- 

 lation of suspected cases, in the abris. In the rest cantonments and 

 centers of instruction the measures were even easier to carry out. 

 Everywhere the disinfection of the rhino pharynx by means of gomenol 

 oil was successful. 



In the search for healthy carriers the army laboratories hâve rendered 

 great assistance in applying the methods of prophylaxis. Thanks to 

 the ease with which they may be removed to considérable distances 

 thèse laboratories hâve been able ta carry on investigations even in the 

 first line trenches, and hâve enabled the détection of meningococcus 

 carriers. The isolation of thèse carriers was possible as well as for 

 suspected cases, and they were not allowed to return to their unit unlil 

 two tests at an interval of from 6 to 8 days had proved négative. 



Very often, indeed, the work of the laboratories has been made easy 

 because of tlie comparatively small number of cases affected by the 

 meningococcus and also the small number of carriers. 



Under other circumstances, however, their task was more difficult. 



This was particularly the case when small distributing centers of 

 great inleusity from the start were concerned, especially when thèse 

 threatened to assume an alarniing extenl. Such centers were developed 

 in the instruction régions behind Ihe armies, often at a considérable 

 distance from the laboratories, and at a time wlien the number of thèse 

 installations was not yet sufficient to make possible visits to ail the 

 centers of instruction. This difficully was oyercome by the installation 

 without delay of a laboralory in Ihe affected région, making use of per- 

 sonnel and malerial from the central and other laboratories wliich were 

 . placed at my disposai, llie work of which in cerlain\of the armies made 

 possible this arrangement. When an inquest had been made at the 

 infected center this laboralory was quickly installed by a téléphone 

 order; in gênerai within 2-4 to 48 hours il was in place at the center of 

 the épidémie and could carry out ail the necessary measures for the 

 prophylaxis. 



I hâve every reason to think Ihat the installation of the means for 

 thèse praclical studies has contributed in a large measure to the rapid 

 disappearance of the infection centers to wiiich allusion has been 

 made. , 



Thèse measures were even more complète when reinforcements from 

 the zone of the interior were found to be contaminaled by cerebro 

 spinal meningitis and when the laboratories, whether they were army 

 ones or conslituled in a {manner described, underlook the mission of 

 systematically examining the men composing thèse reinforcements at 



