In the preceding paper1 Trask and I reported the recovery from children ill with diseases clinically indistinguishable from influenza of five strains of an agent which on inoculation into ferrets was capable of producing a febrile infection of the respiratory tract. The character of the reaction produced and some experimental studies made with the infectious agent will now be discussed.
METHOD OF INOCULATING FERRETS
All ferrets on their arrival at the laboratory were kept under observation for a minimum period of four days before being inoculated. During this time, daily temperature readings were taken in the morning, and the general normal behavior of the animals was observed.The temperature of the individual ferrets was found to fluctuate considerably, the normal limits lying usually between 38 and 40 C. (100.4 and 104 F.). On some occasions, newly arrived animals had nasal discharges and temperatures varying from 40 to 40.5 C.