PROTECTION AGAINST TYPHOID-LIKE INFECTIONS BY VACCINATION : AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

1. A natural infection of guinea pigs with the "mutton" strain of Bacillus aertrycke was used to test the protective power of vaccination against the typhoid group of infections. 2. Under the conditions of the experiment, complete protection was secured by vaccination with full strength fresh saline vaccine, while 100 per cent of deaths occurred among the controls. 3. The immunity acquired is variable and depends on the number of organisms injected. 4. Vaccine kept 10 to 14 months gave less protection than vaccine 8 months old and under. 5. Saline vaccine was more effective than lipovaccine, sensitized vaccine, or supernatant fluid vaccine. 6. Resuspended vaccine was as effective as the original vaccine. 7. In one experiment, group vaccine, made of typhoid Para A and Para B bacilli, was as effective as the original specific vaccine.