PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTS VOL. XXVIII. JULY 11, 1913. No. 28. CIGAR CUTTERS. A NOTE REGARDING THE POSSIBLE DANGER OF THEIR USE IN COMMON. The attention of the bureau has been invited to the danger of the spread of disease through the automatic cigar cutter which one finds so commonly on the counters of cigar stores, drug stores, and other places where cigars are sold. It is a habit among many cigar smokers on purchasing a cigar to place it between their lips while paying for the purchase, the smoker then putting the moist end of the cigar in the cutter. This would seem to be a very effective method of bringing about the interchange of mouth secretions, and possibly the spread of infection. It is suggested that the use of such automatic cigar clippers should be avoided by the public because of the possibility that disease may be spread by them by reason of the nature and manner of their use. BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS. ESTABLISHMENTS LICENSED FOR THE PROPAGATION AND SALE OF VIRUSES, SERUMS, TOXINS, AND ANALOGOUS PRODUCTS. The following table contains a list of the establishments holding, on July 1, 1913, licenses issued by the Treasury Department in accordance with the act of Congress approved July 1, 1902, entitled “An act to regulate the sale of viruses, serums, toxins, and analogous products in the District of Columbia, to regulate interstate traffic in said articles, and for other purposes." The number of the license of each firm is also given, together with the names of the several products for which licenses have been granted. No. of license. Establishments. Products. 1 Parke, Davis & Co., Detroit, Mich..... Diphtheria antitoxin, antigonococcic serum, antimen 105 ingococcic serum, antistreptococcic serum, antitetanic serum, antitubercle serum, tuberculins, bacterial vaccines, erysipelas and prodigiosus toxins, antirabic virus, vaccine virus, and modified bacterial derivatives (Schafer). (1445) No. of license. Establishments. Products. 2 3 H. K. Mulford Co., Philadelphia, Pa.... Diphtheria antitoxin, antidysenteric serum, antimen ingococcic serum, antipneumonic serum, antistrepto- Dr. H. M. Alexander & Co., Marietta, Diphtheria antitoxin, antitetanic serum, antirabic Fluid Vaccine Co., Milwaukee, Wis.... 5 6 The Slee Laboratories, Swiftwater, Pa.. 8 9 11 12 14 virus, vaccine virus, and tuberculins. Vaccine virus. Diphtheria antitoxin, antimeningococcic serum, antistreptococcic serum, antitetanic serum, and vaccine virus. The Cutter Laboratory, Berkeley, Cal.. Diphtheria antitoxin, antistreptococcic serum, tuber- Pasteur Institute of Paris, Paris, Diphtheria antitoxin, antidysenteric serum, antimen- Chemische Fabrik auf Actien, Berlin, Diphtheria antitoxin and antistreptococcic serum. Health Department of the City of New Diphtheria antitoxin, antitetanic serum, antirabic 16 National Vaccine and Antitoxin Institute, Washington, D. C....... 17 Lederle Antitoxin Laboratories, New York City. 18 Burroughs, Wellcome & Co., London, England. virus, vaccine virus, tuberculin, antimeningococcie serum, and antistreptococcic serum. Diphtheria antitoxin, vaccine virus, normal horse serum, and bacterial vaccines. Diphtheria antitoxin, antigonococcic serum, antimen. ingococcic serum, antipneumococcic serum, antistreptococcic serum, antitetanic serum, vaccine virus, antirabic virus, normal horse serum, antityphoid vaccine, and bacterial vaccines. Diphtheria antitoxin, antigonococcic serum, antidysenteric serum, anticolon-bacillus serum, antistaphylococcic serum, antistreptococcic serum, antityphoid serum, antimeningococcic serum, normal horse serum, tuberculins, bacterial vaccines, and antitetanic By J. R. RIDLON, Passed Assistant Surgeon, United States Public Health Service. From August 29 to December 30, 1912, there were 5,700 rats dissected and examined for plague infection at Mayaguez, Porto Rico, all these rats having been caught in the city of Mayaguez. Although primarily examined for plague other lesions were noted and among the 5,700 rats examined three rats with leprosy were found. Rat No. 1.-Full grown male Mus norvegicus, showed subcutaneous nodules and thickening of subcutaneous tissue and patches of alopecia. Several nodules presented surfaces ulcerated through the skin. Axillary glands of both sides enlarged, smears from the nodules, ulcerated surfaces, and enlarged glands showed leprosy bacilli in large numbers. They showed the characteristic properties of cell inclusion and acid-fast staining. Internal organs showed no macroscopic lesions. Rat No. 2.-Full grown male Mus norvegicus. Presented subcutaneous nodules with ulcers through skin. Axillary and inguinal glands were enlarged. Smears from nodules, ulcers and glands positive for leprosy. Spleen was soft and enlarged, but all other internal organs were normal. Smears from spleen and liver negative for leprosy. Rat No. 3.-Full grown male Mus norvegicus. Showed enlarged axillary glands, subcutaneous nodules and skin ulcers. Smears from nodules, ulcers and glands positive for leprosy. Internal organs were normal macroscopically and smears were negative. The proportion of infected rats to the total number examined was 0.00052 per cent. Human leprosy is present in the island. |