PREVENTION OF MEASLES BY IMMUNE GOAT SERUM

Abstract

In a previous article ¹ we showed that the serum of a goat convalescing from a reaction produced by the inoculation of green-producing measles diplococci protected rabbits against a subsequent injection of infective material from measles. The rabbits injected with normal goat serum and those untreated showed some or all of the characteristics of measles in rabbits—a rise of temperature, Koplik spots and a rash. Convalescent goat serum protected human beings against measles as effectively as convalescent human measles serum when injected on the first and second days after exposure to measles. By intracutaneous tests in normal rabbits, the serum of goats injected with diplococci from measles as well as convalescent human measles serum was shown to neutralize the action of killed measles diplococci, while serum of normal goats had no such effect. Since convalescent goat serum appeared to protect against measles only if given on the first two days