Taking some "throat washing"-saliva-from a woman infected with polio, they placed it in a test-tube with chopped-up pieces of human skin tissue, then awaited the results, hardly expecting to see any difference occur in the composition of the tissue cells.

But as Enders noted, "We were nevertheless much surprised to find that the virus 'multiplied and was released into the fluid medium in considerable amounts, and indications were obtained that the virus injured and killed the tissue issues."

Next, they needed an indisputable method of demonstrating what they had discovered that the polio virus actually grew in a test-tube.

Here, with Robbins now a member of the team, they explored the "roller tube" method of tissue culture. The simple idea was to place please of tissue in a test-tube with a special nutrient that would make the cells thrive. After observers had clearly established that the tissue cells were thriving on the nutrient tube, Robbins then injected a small amount of polio virus into the tube. To kill the tissue cells, the viruses would have to multiply in their experiments. Invariably, within one to five days the once-thriving tissue destroyed.

The medical research world was con Vinced.

Consult with Salk

Once the viruses could be grown, the doctors conferred with Dr. Jonas Salk of Pittsburgh on the best method of neuralizing the adverse effects of the polio. He exposed the viruses to formal dehyde to destroy their infectivity. His hope and conviction is that they will enable an innoculated body to build up lasting antibodies.

Enders points out that the eventual success of the Salk Vaccine will depend upon how well it can build up antibodies within the central nervous system, as well as in the body itself. "We know the vaccine gets into the blood system, but it has not been absolutely demonstrated that it reaches the nervous system." be said.

Although conclusive evidence of the effectiveness of the Salk Vaccine has not been established, there is not doubt of the success of the enders-Weller-Robbins venture. Repeated evidence shows that the tissue culture method will now be applied to increasingly expanded field of virus research. It was for this wide reaching possibility that Weller and Robbins jointly received the Mead Johnson Award of 1953- for "the development of the tissue culture method will now betion to the field of virus diseases."

No Limits Yet

Nor have Enders and Weller yet reached the limits on research with tissue culture methods. Ender now believes he has isolated the measles virus--by using the same basic process.

"It'snot a very serious disease although though it does produce deaths and harmful secondary effects in parts of the world like Yugoslavia," Enders notes. He is not the least apologetic about taking up a new project of less significance than that of isolating the polio virus. "After all," he notes, "measles are an abominable nuisance."

Final proof of measles virus growth must await Enders" return from Sweden, however. For the 57-year-old research scientist has not yet innoculated monkeys with the test-tube grown measles virus.

Enders has no doubt that animals, It exposed, or innoculated will come down with measles.

In the meantime, today, he must men the King of Sweden and tomorrow must tell the Royal Academy of Science how three Harvard men discovered the "the sue culture' method of growing viruses.