§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the President of the Board of Trade when the common cold unit at Harnham, Salisbury, closed; what were the duties and aims of the unit; for what 215W years since 1966 it published an annual report which was available to the public; and what means it used to advertise for volunteers. [28265]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorThe common cold unit, which opened in 1946, closed upon the retirement of its director, Dr. D. A. J. Tyrell, in 1990.
In the earlier years, the work of the unit was directed at finding the viruses that caused colds. Late studies looked at how influenza viruses might be attenuated to produce a vaccine strain, and whether it would be possible to prevent or treat colds by giving antiviral drugs. In the last years of the unit, molecular techniques were applied to detect and analyse viruses and the response of the body to them.
As far as I have been able to ascertain, the unit did not publish any annual reports.
Up until the early 1960s, volunteers were recruited largely as a result of favourable press coverage and talks and lectures in colleges and voluntary groups, as well as through word of mouth. The publicity effort became more systematic from the late 1960s, first with the publication of leaflets for use in library and workplace noticeboards, then with advertisements in selected publications. A significant number of volunteers over the years came forward as a result of return visits.