Recipient of H. O'Brien to B.D. Tims, 22nd August, 1958 (DO 35/8640).
22 Aug 1958
Description:

'CONFIDENTIAL

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2. We have had discussions with officials in the American, Canadian and German authorities on this subject. The Americans have recently made verbal representations to the Indian Government, supported by the personal testimony of two experts from Merck, Sharps and Dohme, the largest U.S.A. importers of Indian monkeys for the manufacture of polio vaccine. We understand that the Americans and the Germans are shortly to make formal representations, and the Canadian High Commission is seeking permission from Ottowa to support us. Also, the firm whose main trade in monkeys is with the U.S.S.R. tell us that the Russians have recently protested against the new regulations.

3. The Americans have used the argument that their vaccine manufacturing plant is designed to handle animals averaging a certain weight, which has been determined by the weight structure of the monkey consignments which they have hitherto been receiving from India. They say that all their delicate and precise manufacturing processes are thrown out if the average weight of the monkeys used is drastically changed - as it must be if supplies are restricted to monkeys over 6 lbs. in weight. Even if there were plentiful supplies of heavy monkeys, therefore, American production would be dislocated by the use of them.

4. Our German colleagues have received from research institutions in Germany information indicating that monkeys between 4 and 6 lbs. are superior to heavier monkeys for the preparation of poliomyelitis vaccines. I quote below the information supplied by our colleagues in the German Embassy.

"Points which speak in favour of supply of four to six pound monkeys for preparation of poliomyelitis vaccine:

1.) The testing-monkeys serve mainly as kidney-source for the preparation of monkey-kidney-tissue-cultures for the carrying out of tests with poliomyelitis-vaccine. It is desirable to have younger animals for this purpose, as the tissues of younger animals have a higher potentiality of growth in the culture. It is in correspondence with the long years experience with the scientific institutions that the kidneys of smaller animals can be kept better in culture than those of older animals. The surviving duration of the kidney cells of younger monkeys in the tissue-cultures is greater than that of kindney cells of older animals. The Institutions are of the opinion that the weight-class between four and six pounds is just right for the breeding of for a long time to be observed tissue cultures.

2.) Experimental monkeys for the harmlessness examination should not possess any immunity against poliomyelitis. Occasionally however the Institutions are finding anti-serum matter against the poliomyelitis virus in older animals while the incidence of such anti-serum matters in younger animals occurs much more seldom.

3.) The intracerebral and intraspinal vaccine-injections during the experiments are stood better with monkeys of four to six pounds weight. It appears that all wounds which such operations are causing are healing much quicker with younger animals."

The Germans are also arguing against the reduction in the number of monkeys which can be carried in a standard cage. They are proposing to make use of the following points in making a case for to the Indian Government:

"Points which speak against the present treatment-arrangements as ordered by the Indian Government and in favour of transporting younger monkeys.

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2.) The Institutions are observing that on arrival the monkeys sit in a heap together in one corner of the cage while the remaining part of the cage is empty. The monkeys feel cold. If there would be a sufficient number, say at least ten to twelve in a cage, the monkeys would feel much more happy and comfortable".

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