Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-11
PAsTEUR,s REMEDY.
The French Chemist's Method or Treat
ing the Bite of Mad Dog.
From the 81. Louis Republican.

The French Chemists Method of Treat
ing the Bite of a Mad Dog.
From The 81. Louts Repu6zio1n.
PARIS, Nov. 13.-I have Just visited the
great DR.. Pasteur, who, during the past
fortnight has announced the discovery OF
what he believes to be an antidote for the
bite of a mad dog. He is not an old man,
being probably not over So years OF age.
His well-trimmed chin whiskers are
slightly gray, but his hair is still quite
dark. He is not over feet inches high,
but is rather stoutly built. One leg is
stiff. He speaks no English. His speech
is slow and distinct and his bearing is UNI
assuming and modest. When l entered
his Office found it filled with patients
who had come from all parts OF Europe
to be treated by him for bites ofmad dogs.
His assistants were busily engaged treat
ing ugly-lOoking wounds on the legs, arms,
and bodies of patients while he stood by
and superintended the work. His treat
ment is wholly by incubation.
81 do not yet know any remedy for the
patient after the disease has manifested
itself" said DR.. Pasteur. 'All my dis
cOyeries, so tar, relate only to preventing
hvdrophobia after persons have been Bit
ten. That antidote, l believe, ] have dis
covered, for of the twenty persons that l
have treated not one has shown any symp-
toms of the disease"
"There was card published by the
great novelist, 'Ouida,' a few days ago,
DR.. Pasteur, in which she said that she
had personally known of six cases of
animals and persons bitten by mad dogs,
and with no treatment whatever not
one of these cases developed into hydro
phobia. How do you explain thatW l
asked.
'That is quite possible" replied the
doctor. sEStatistics show that so out of
100 persons who are bitten do not become
mad. do not claim my experiments to
be conclusive, although l have treated
these twenty cases of persons and several
hundred cases OF dogs and rabbits and
other animals, and not one so treated has
been affected"
"How long does 1t take for the disease
to manifest itselfW
casually the victim shows symptoms
OF hydrophobia within six months after
the bite, but sometimes it Is three or four
years. After that time | would consider
the danger past. The first symptoms are
paralysis. 1t is disease Of the nerves,
not of the blood, and persons OF nervous
disposition are most susceptible to it If
bitten"
''DOes fear enter largely into the chances
leading to itY'
Fear may weaken the nervous force
and so make the person more susceptible
to the effects after having been bitten, but
fear cannot produce hydrophOba. 1t new
er comes spontaneously, but always
through bite, or AT least through the sa-
Iva of an animal having the disease. If
you have a slight scratch on your skin
and mad dog should lick that scratch,
you might get hydrophobia."
"What is your methodW was asked.
81 began my experiments in 1882, in
this way" replied DR.. Pasteur. 81 took
portion Of the spinal cord Of a dog
which had died of hydrophobia, and with
that inoculated rabbit in the first
membrane of the brain. 1t went mad in
fifteen days. Then with portion OF the
spinal cord OF this rabbit l inoculated an
other rabbit in the same way, and it went
mad in thirteen days, and so on. / con-
tinued NEGOTIATIONS from rabbit to rabbit,
finding the strength of the virus increase
each time until the ninetieth time pro-
duced hydrOphobia in only seven days.
then took very small portions of the spi-
nal cord of this ninetieth rabbit, and
which contained the greatest virulence
yet obtained, and | suspended these bits
Of virus in empty bottles in which the air
was kept very dry by means OF potash on
the bottom of the bottle. After several
days exposure in a dry, cold temperature
the virus loses all its strength. The time
required for this loss depends on the size
OF the piece and the dryness and GOODNESS
of the air. Then OF this virus which has
lost it's strength | take small portion
dissolved in sterile bouillOn, and with a
pravaz syringe l inoculate the animal
Each day inoculate it again with virus,
just little stronger each time, until at
last the system has become so accus-
toned to the poison that | can use the vi
rus which had not been dried at all, and
which would produce hydrophobia in sew
en- days if the system has not been so
treated to it by degrees. l have treated
100 dogs in this way, and not one has be-
come mad"
lis there more hvdrophObia in France
than In other countriesW
"No; there is just as much in America
in some parts as in France. IL does not
depend much on climate, for it never
comes spontaneously"
DR.. Pasteur then conducted me to the
basement, where, in cages, he has hun
dreds OF rabbits, some OF which have been
inOculated and some have not. All had
been bitten by animals having hydrophO-
bia. Those which he did not inoculate
he watched for the symptoms OF the dis
itselfin eleven days, they being more sus.
ceptlble 10 it than any other animal. He
also has several dogs, but these were not
shown.
In our company now was boy who had
been terribly bitten by mad dog about
three months ago, and who is now under
treatment. He comes to the Doctors of
ice every day. The boy is about IS years
old. He is greatly petted by the kind
hearted scientist, for he is really young
hero. The boys little brother was at
tackled by the mad dog, and this brave
fellow rushed between them, and the dog
seized hold of his left thumb. He then
took his right hand and endeavored TO
wrench the beasts jaws apart, but the an
imal was too strong for him. Then he
pulled of one Of his shoes with his free
hand and beat the dog over the head with
the heel OF the shoe until he killed him.
His hands were fearfully lacerated, and
DIR. Pasteur had little hopes ofsaving him
at first, but as time passes his hopes are
increasing. The boy has been awarded a
medal for his bravery by the govern.
ment.