THE PRESERVATION OF ANIMAL LYMPH, VASELINE OR LA NOLINE.

By Surgn.-Lieut -Col. W. G. King, m.b.

Consequent upon a movement as to reform, which it is hoped will end in the complete re- organization of the very defective arrangements existing of the conduct of vaccination in this, country, the question of animal lymph preserva- tion is one having a perennial interest for those

engaged in sanitary work. Dr. Bamber's recent valuable experiments prove-this to be the ca&e. In the hope, therefore, that it may not be with- out interest to some of your readers and thus

lead to further investigations, I place at disposal an extract from an account of certain experi- ments conducted by me in 1890, that have hither- to been buried in a Madras Government Order. I have omitted the statistical tables upon which

my conclusions were founded as taking up too much of your space ; but those who would desire these figures can doubtless obtain a copy of Mad- ras Gr. O. No. *2406 L., dated 20th September 1890. .

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Dec. 1896.] KING ON THE PRESERVATION OF ANIMAL LYMPH. 439

It will be seen that in 1890, I did not neglect to try vaseline before coming to the decision as to the superiority of lanoline, and 1 may add that I used the purified white form of vaseline as now recommended by Dr. Bainber. Whether or not, 1 was justified in that conclusion I do not wish to contend, but to the best of my belief, after

prolonged experience of its use, neutral anhydrous lanoline remains unrivalled as a preservative in resisting deterioration under conditions of trans- port and exigencies to which it is likely to be

subjected by the unskilled vaccine staff emploj^ed in this country. That the mode of issue in the

pots animadverted upon by Dr. Bamber is a

weak point I have no hesitation in admitting, and I have myself, in communication with the

Sanitary Commissioner with the Government of India some years back, and recently pointed this out. My experiments were brought to an abrupt close before this detail had been attended to, on

the Government of Madras finding I had used, without its express sanction, variola-vaccine, and I have not thought it desirable since that time to undertake further experiments of any descrip- tion. As a fact, the vaccine pots were hastily devised as the best means within local manufac-

turing capabilities. The provision of better receptacles is a mere

question of giving an order to European firms ; but, as I now take little interest in the matter, I have not thought it necessary to see to this per- sonally.

As will be seen from my experiments No. XII, I agree fully with Dr. Bamber as to the superio- rity in this climate of vaseline and lanoline over

glycerine, although I arrived at the conclusion,

which I still hold, that lanoline is the superior of vaseline. I ma}' here saj' in making experi- ments with vaseline, I was at the time (1890) ignorant of the fact that it has long been employ- ed at Bordeaux for preservation of vaccine pulp. Precisely as in the case of Dr. Bamber, I was

led to use it (vide experiment No. IB) by re- membering the seal of the bacteriologist. My then turning to lanoline was the natural result of knowing that Gottsein had proved it capable of resisting the entrance of micro-organism. Not

only has it this property plus the advantage over glycerine fats mentioned b}7- Liebriech

(vide "

Summary " of experiments), butCopeman

has lately shown (Journal of Pathology and Bacteriology, 1896) that it possesses all the pro-

perties that have been loudly proclaimed in

Europe as giving glycerine the precedence over any preservative, namely, that it destro}7s sapro- phytes, leaving the vaccine unimpaired?a mat- ter that the Roj'al Commission on Vaccination lias also maintained is of great importance. Now, it may be quite possible that similar properties exist in vaseline : but, so far as I know, we are at present without any researches on the subject. I consequently think Dr. Bamber has been hasty

in ignoring the existence of these important properties when making a comparison with vase- line, and setting forth categorically the so-called "

disadvantage "

of lanoline. As to the advantages especially claimed for

vaseline in which economy of the method, its ease of transport, possibility of manufacture in large quantities, economy of time when contrast- ed with the production of fresh lymph bjr indi- vidual vaccinators, Dr. Bamber must, of course, recognize that these are details which are encom- passed whatever method of animal lymph dilu- tion and preservation be adopted. But, as a proof of the economy of lanoline, vaccine pro- duction, I may state that the Mysore Govern- ment Institute, Bangalore, owing to extensive sales to various public authorities in India and Burmah, of this preparation at a cost of 9 pie per case,?a figure that allows a handsome pro- fit, after paying for a large establishment and expensive calves?is practically self-supporting.

As to the disadvantages inumerated by Dr. Bamber, I would venture to make remarks upon these in the order he gives them :?

(I) " It [vaseline] is of more fluid consistence,

and less tenacious than lanoline, and therefore easier to work with."

Now Surgn.-Col. Roe, in discussing this mat-

ter in the Animal Vaccination Report for

1895?96, for the Panjab, curiously enough points to the desirability of the medium, remain- ing

"

fairly solid," and, as a fact in the case of lanoline as a result of its consistency, it is easier to place the exact amount required on the identi- cal part of the skin to be vaccinated than is the case with either the vaseline or glycerine. This is a decided advantage in vaccinating restless children, and is not to be despised in inoculating calvcs.

v2) " It is a mineral substance, and not an

animal product as lanoline, and is therefore much more acceptable to Hindus."

I think this statement is "hard lines." In the first place, the sheep, from the hair of which the oily matter lanoline is extracted, is not an animal held in disrepute by either Hindu or

Mahomedan, but, surely, Dr. Bamber would not

dare tell his Hindu subjects, that his vaccine was composed of a mineral substance! In both instances, the preparations are combinations of the pulped skin, aud other animal products derived from the sacred bull, and, I trust Dr. Bamber will admit, that when a Hindu has sub- mitted to have this compound smeared on his

skin, he is not likely to ask further questions, as to whether the preservative medium is of

animal or mineral origin.

(3) "Being clear, it is easier to see whether it has been properly mixed with vesicles or not. Lanoline is opaque, and it is impossible to deter- mine, whether it contain vesicle, &c., or not.

440 INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. [Duo. 1896.

This is an important matter it* the preparation is left to natives." As to this objection, it might be safely assumed,

even if "made in Germany" that anything labelled vaccine would contain pulp. The

question is simply one of care in preparation, and it presupposes an absurdly evil condi- tion of affairs. Reasoning, according; to the

o7 o

spirit of Dr. Bamber's second criticism, I should think the opaqueness of lanoline ought to be

regarded as a very decided advantage, in that it conceals the contained animal matter that is only too apparent, in vaseline. Further, opacity in reference to the action of light on vaccine, is a.

quality not to be lightly disregarded. (4)

" Moulds, etc., will not grow on vaseline, but they do so on lanoline."

I quite agree with Dr. Bamber that moulds do grow on lanoline (one in particular luxuriously), and it is possible there may be something to be learnt in this fact. But, for my own part, 1 con- sider this a very decided advantage. No mould

grows on lanoline-vaccine that has not been

carelessly prepared or exposed to dirt and filth

subsequently, and this is a most valuable guide which, according to Dr. Bamber, is absent in

vaseline. I would never think, therefore, of

using much contaminated material on human ?

beings, but I have repeatedly used it on calves

by simply removing the upper layer with full

success, showing, as Gottsein maintains, lanoline resists penetration.

(5) "So far we have found that vaseline gives better results than lanoline."

This is, of course, a matter of opinion of in- dividual observers, that I do not propose to

contend. The first step of prolonged time yield- ing data as to duration of activity, as in the

case of lanoline, has not yet been available for the vaseline lymph. A trial made by the District Medical Officer, of South Canara last year (before the publication of Dr. Bamber's experi- ments) of an issue of vaseline lymph consequent upon failure of glycerine, was, however, followed by his voluntary adoption of lanoline-vaccine. But I may state that carefully prepared speci- mens of lanoline-vaccine have frequently shown activit}7 of six and nine months duration, and exceptional specimens have proved active at the end of seventeen and thirty-two months, not-

withstanding the most careless treatment and

frequent change of climate. Whilst I would demur to certain conclusions

made by Dr. Bamber, it is a relief to find an- other observer has confirmed my opinion as to

the untrustworthiness of glycerine as a preser- vative medium in India, although it is, however, right to state that I have in further attempts obtained far better results with it than shown in my experiment No. IX B. Especially would I concur in Dr. Bamber's plea for a Central Vaccine Institute for each province. This is a

subject that I have laid before the Government of Madras steadily since 1890, and I have some hopes in the near future of securing what is required. The credit, however, of dictating this policy must be given to the late Surgeon- Major Barclay, whose pamphlet on " Animal Vaccinnation

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first drew the attention of the profession in India forcibly to the whole matter of adoption of animal lymph. Before the first Indian Medical Congress, I look the

opportunity, during the discussion on Vaccin- ation (Transaction of the First Medical Con-

gress, page 258) of pointing out that the sub- ject of what preservati ve should be used is of

very minor importance compared with the very pressing necessity for arranging that a high grade of culture of the lymph and cleanliness in its preservation should be ensured, by the erection of vaccine institutes replete with all contrivances that hygiene and bacteriology dic- tate as requisite, and that their conduct should be in the hands of specially skilled men. The future may well see one Province busy

with glycerine, another with lanoline, and a third with vaseline, and so forth?each declar-

ing that, so and so is the only correct preser- vative. This difference of opinion we can all afford to chuckle over ; but I hold it is the duty of those engaged in vaccination work in this

country to press upon their respective Govern- ments the absurdity and wrongheadedness of attempting to conduct animal lymph preserva- tion with the absolutely crude arrangements now existing. More especially where vaccination is compulsory, the Government making it should be held responsible that the processes of culti- vation and preservation are pursued with the aid of all that science dictates as essential for the

protection of the subject from avoidable injury.