The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-02-19
VIVISECTION.


La letter to the London Times,
Professor TyndaQ writes: Would you
permit man who, as far as his own
treatment of animals is concerned,
might claim the friendship of the poet
CoWper, to add word to the discus
sion on surgery and vivisection which
has been for some time going on in
your columns? Your readers are prob
ably in part aware of the marvellous
success of Pasteur's experiments on
what he calls "the attenuation of
virus" These experiments have en-
abled him to reduce the virulence Of
fatal contagia that when intro
duced into the animal body, though
they may produce malaise, they do
not produce death, the animal vac
cinated with this mild virus being
subsequently, proof against the con-
tagium in its most deadly form. l
have recently had occasion to lock
over the proof sheets Of small work
entitled Louis Pasteur, his Life and
Labors," now on the point of publica-
ton by Longman & Co. Confining
myself to single specimen of the re-
suits recorded in this book, I think
that upon it an argument may be
founded that has some bearing on the
discussion above referred to.
In the course of his inquiries Pas
teur laid hold Of the murderous virus
Of picnic fever and succeeded ID rea-
uering it not only harmless to life,
but a sure protection against the as
saults of the disease. 1t was soon
noised abroad among the sheep and
cattle breeders of France that he had
overcome this contagion. In many
parts OF the country the disorder
was very deadly. He con-
| fined himself for a time to
what might be called laboratory expe.
rimentS, but believing that principle
which had proved true in small things
would also prove true in large, he had
the boldness to accept an invitation
! from the president of the agricultural
society of Melun to make an exgri
ment publicly on what might be called
an agricultural scale.
He had placed at his disposal flock
of sheep, which ne divided into two
groups. The members of one grouI
were all vaccinated with the "atten'
uated" virus of splenic fever, while
the members of the other group were
left unvaccinated. A number Of
COWS were similarity treated. Til,
question to be decided was, would
tie mild virus answer as a protec
| tive? Experiment alone could answe
this question. Fourteen days subse
quent to the first incubation all tn,
sheep and all the COWS vaccinated ant
unEaccinated, were inoculated with
highly virulent virus. Three day
afterwards, more than 200 persons, IN
Guiding journalists, farmers, lawyer
and public men assembled to witnes
the result. Pasteur is capable of ella
zion, and he must have felt elated a
! the shout of admiration which halle
the success of his experiment. o
: twenty-five sheep inoculated with vii
ulent virus, but unprotected by vac
cination. twenty-one were alread
dead, while the remaining four wer
| dying. The twenty-five vaccinate
sheep, which had also received th
deadly virus into their blood, weT
in ''full Snealth and gaiety." The III
; tvsestnated COWS showed tumors a
the place OF incubation. and were S
/ PROSTATE with fever as TO be unabl
Y to eat. The vaccinated COWS weT
\quite well, showing no tumors, q
sever, not even perceptible rise