How New York City’s Health Department Makes Serums and Vaccines for the United States Army
Preparing the Bacteria
In the preparation of typhoid vaccine the bacteria are grown in the bottles you see on the table. The germs are killed by pouring a salt solution over them. The bottle on the shelf contains the salt solution which is being siphoned into the bottle containing the colony of typhoid fever germs.
Transferring the Bacilli
Tetanus bacilli occur in dust, earth and manure. They do not grow in the presence of oxygen and are particularly dangerous if they get into deep wounds. The young lady in the photograph is drawing up tetanus bacilli from the bottom of a test tube be means of a glass tube which she holds in her mouth. Thus the germs are transferred from tube to tube.
The Resultant Powerful Toxin
Here the large flask is being inoculated with tetanus bacilli. The small wire basket at the right contains test tubes in which are the tetanus germs. The flame which you see just to the right of the flask which is being inoculated is kept burning so that any instrument may be immediately sterilized after exposure.
The Final Step
The finished product containing millions of dead typhoid fever bacilli is poured by means of a siphon into large bottles. The vaccine is kept in a refrigerator until it is needed for use. Note the milky appearance of the vaccine.
A Glimpse into the “Shop” of the Laboratories
This photograph shows the refrigerator in the Bacteriological Laboratories of the Department of Health of the City of New York, where serums, vaccines and anti-toxins are prepared for the use of the United States Army. Much of this material will be shipped to the front. In the containers and bottles which you see on the shelves is $150,000 worth of material. There is enough diphtheria antitoxin to treat 75,000 men, enough tetanus antitoxin for 200,000 men, enough smallpox vaccine for a half million men and enough antimeningococcus serum to treat 2,500 men suffering from cerebrospinal meningitis.
Bleeding the Horse to Obtain the Serum
After the horse has been inoculated with the disease poison in gradually increasing doses he is bled and his serum is found to be antitoxin. This is administered to human beings and renders them immune to the disease. The horses are kept in the pink of condition. At periodic intervals they are given a rest. During the rest periods they are turned out to grass. When thoroughly rested, they are inoculated again. Some horses give more antitoxin serum than others. The same horse may be used at several different times for the preparation of distinctly different antitoxins.
Inoculating a Horse with Toxin
One of the 73 horses in the stables of the Department of Health of the City of New York at Ctisville. This horse is being inoculated with diphtheria toxin. Small doses gradually increased render the horse immune to diphtheria. Horses are used in the preparation of diphtheria, tetanus antitoxin and antimeningococcus serum.
Humans and animals have natural defense systems that produce antibodies in the blood to combat bacteria and other harmful substances invading the body. In the late nineteenth century, scientists investigating this immune response in animals developed new methods for treating diseases in humans.