618 
EDITORIAL. 
infection which develops slowly and may assume various forms. 
In the cases of rapid death, the symptoms and lesions are due 
to the solubility of the virus ; the microbe has not proliferated 
and blood cultures remain often sterile. 
In peptone cultures the virus becomes gradually attenuated 
with age. To get back its original virulency it must pass again 
through the organism of the guinea-pig or of the dog. 
Attenuated cultures have been used by Dr. Physalix to 
vaccinate young dogs against the disease, in inoculating them, 
under the skin of the thigh, with two or three cc. of culture. He 
first began by a very weak culture, whose local action is insig¬ 
nificant ; this is the first vaccine. The following inoculations 
are made with cultures of increasing virulency and are renewed 
three or four times. Thus prepared, dogs can be tested with 
intravenous injections of a virulent culture or by cohabitation 
with infected dogs. Dr. Physalix has had vaccinated dogs 
which have lived three months in daily contact with sick ani¬ 
mals, several even in the same kennel. Others have had their 
nasal mucous membrane covered with pathological mucosities 
from sick dogs and were not contaminated. Finally, vaccinated 
dogs have been tested by intravenous injections and have re¬ 
sisted, while witnesses died or became very sick. 
For Dr. P. the problem of the vaccination against dog dis¬ 
temper is resolved, and yet there seems to be some hesitation on 
the part of the profession to accept his views. 
Of course the method is new. Several injections are re¬ 
quired to give immunity, etc., etc. ; but if the principle is true, 
it is worth while to work at it, and it is for that reason that a 
committee of practical men has been appointed. The experi¬ 
ments are already under way ; they were interrupted by the 
summer vacation, but as soon as they are resumed and the re¬ 
sults are known, the readers of the Review will know it. 
* 
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Human Tuberculosis is Transmissible to Bovines.— 
We must not be surprised if the subject of tuberculosis, under 
all forms, for some time to come, is found to fill the pages of 
