138
ten days of embarkation. The last intimation from Washington, however,
leaves the perfection of the dip in doubt, so that we must wait for further
developments of this new medicament before further communication with the
Queensland Government is advisable.
606. The prevention of the introduction of this virulent disease calls for
urgent methods of treatment, and it is therefore strongly urged that the
necessary legislative aid may be no longer delayed. It requires little foresight
to estimate the extent of the calamity which would occur if once the pest
obtained a foothold among our herds. The present staff of the Civil Veteri-
nary Department would be totally inadequate to cope with the disaster, and
the result would be ruination to many cultivators and the introduction of a
disease which would carry off hundreds of thousands of cattle annually.
Rabies.
607. This fell disease has occupied the attention of this Department for
several years. In 1891, when the Bacteriological Laboratory was established
in Poona, it was named the Pasteur Institute by His Excellency Lord Reay,
Governor of Bombay, and it was suggested that M. Pasteur's system of inocu-
lation for Hydrophobia should be then carried out. In order to ascertain
whether the treatment had been entirely successful, Mr. Hallen, then General
Superintendent, Horse Breeding Operations, addressed a letter to M. Pasteur.
This was in consequence of a demur by the Indian Medical Department, who
maintained that sufficient time had not elapsed to enable medical men to give
a decided opinion as to the merits of the new inoculation. It was stated that
the disease might remain dormant in the system for 2½ years, and as this time
had not elapsed since the introduction of the new system of treatment, the
demur was quite reasonable. However, the inoculative treatment has now been
carried on regularly since 1885, and there is now little doubt in the minds of
the majority of professional men as to the efficacy of M. Pasteur's notable
discovery.
608. The mortality has steadily decreased year by year from 0.94 in 1886
to 0.03 in 1896, while the total mortality among old cases from the beginning,
now amounting to over 20,000, was only 0.46. In 1897, no less than 128 per-
sons from India were treated in the Pasteur Laboratory, which is sufficient
proof of the efficacy of the treatment and the popularity of the institution.
609. At the time of the establishment of the Laboratory in 1891, Dr.
Lingard was prepared to have this treatment carried out, provided a Medical
Officer having some knowledge and a bent for bacteriological study be appoint-
ed to conduct the operations under his supervision. During these years,
however, nothing has been done, and all Europeans who have been bitten by
mad dogs are at once sent to Paris where they undergo the treatment at the
Pasteur Laboratory.
610. There can be little doubt that Rabies, according to accounts receiv-
ed, is on the increase, and certainly calls for some repressive measures. On
looking over some old files of newspapers, I found many cases of persons, bitten
by rabid dogs, having gone to Paris for treatment. The following extracts
show what happened during October 1898 alone, and it may safely be claimed
that this number represents but a small percentage of persons actually bitten
by rabid dogs and jackals:—
The Morning Post, 15th October 1898.
Another Pasteur Patient.—Mr. W. D. Sawers,
Chemist in charge of the Nundydroog Mine Cyanide
Works, has started for Paris, owing to having been
bitten by a dog at the Champion Reefs Mine, whi-
ther he had gone on a visit to a friend.
The Morning Post, 17th October 1898.
Fatal Dog Bite, Bombay.—A lad named Gillespie'
who was bitten by a rabid dog in Bombay two months
ago, died from hydrophobia yesterday.
Civil and Military Gazette, dated 18th October
1898.
Pasteur Patients from India, Bombay, 17th Octo-
ber 1898.—Four privates of the South Staffordshire
Regiment, and a private of the 4th Dragoon Guards,
all of whom were bitten by rabid dogs in August at
Thayetmyo in Burma, proceeded to Paris by Satur-
day's mail steamer for treatment at the Pasteur Ins-
titute.
The Morning Post, October 1898.
Another Pasteur Patient. Allahabad 22nd October
1898.—Mrs. Faunthorpe, wife of Mr. J. C. Faunthorpe,
I. C. S., Magistrate in the Ballia District, has been
bitten by a dog suspected to be mad, and leaves at once
for Paris to undergo the Pasteur treatment.
The Times of India, dated 18th October 1898.
Hydrophobia. To the editor of the Times of India.—
Sir,—It is alarming to know that last week there were
three cases of hydrophobia in this city, two of which
terminated fatally on Saturday; also that no less than
five European soldiers left by the last mail for the Pas-
teur Institute in Paris. With these awful instances
proving the growing frequency of hydrophobia oases, it
behoves the authorities to take stringent measures to
prevent a continuance of this state of things, by taxing
dogs and bringing a muzzling order into force, as in
England. No doubt this suggestion will not be accep-
table to those who own dogs, but were they bitten by a
suspicious dog, I think their feelings would then under-
go a change.