﻿128 '^he Philippine Journal of Science 1914 



to 72 per cent of the animals immunized. An average of 2.8 

 liters of blood per animal was drawn from 305 animals. 



The technique employed in drawing blood for serum produc- 

 tion varied in no essential particular from general practice. 

 An autoclave heated by a gasoline torch was employed for 

 sterilizing the instruments and bleeding flasks. No abscess 

 formation has followed the bleeding. Large hsematomata form 

 occasionally, but are soon resorbed. 



Blood was allowed to stand in the bleeding flasks immersed in 

 running water in the bed of a shallow stream for from twenty- 

 four to thirty-six hours, after which the serum was decanted 

 into a large graduated vessel and 0.5 per cent of carbolic acid 

 or formalin was added as preservative. The serum was then 

 stored in 15-liter demijohns tightly corked. Serum prepared 

 in this way has kept well for several weeks. The only trouble 

 encountered was due to the fact that serum sometimes assumed 

 a gelatinous form upon standing. 



The serum thus prepared was ready for use, there being omit- 

 ted the expensive operations of centrifugalization, filtration, and 

 rebottling. There is nothing connected with the preparation 

 of serum under field conditions which requires an expensive per- 

 manent plant. Experience has shown that the essential asepsis 

 can be readily attained in a temporary structure made of grass 

 and bamboo. 



It should be noted that no ice was available for refrigeration. 

 The necessity of holding serum for a long period was obviated 

 by preparing it with reference to the time that it would be 

 needed. 



The results obtained during the immunization of the carabaos 

 at Laoag are shown in Table I. In compiling the data regarding 

 reactions, there has been adopted as a standard of minimum rise 

 of temperature to be counted as a reaction a rise to 39° C. on 

 two successive days, occurring between three and twelve days 

 after inoculation. This standard is wholly arbitrary and some- 

 what unsatisfactory when applied to cases closely approaching 

 it; however, none more generally useful is known. In the case 

 of the animals in question, the dose employed was such and the 

 average resistance of the animals of such a degree that elevation 

 of temperature does not figure prominently. Other symptoms 

 of rinderpest such as diarrhoea and inflammation of the conjunc- 

 tivae occurred, but this occurrence was not uniformly recorded on 

 the temperature charts. 



