Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-12
THE CURE OF RABIES.
Oh. PHIL. TAYLOR. OF RICHMOND,
VISITS II. PAsrEuR.
Results shown in His cliniss-Ths Method
Of Procuring the Inoculsting Fluid
Pasteur's Success and Grow
ing Wealth.

ing Woaltn.
Especial correspondence Of the Dispatch.l
PARIS, July 80, 1886.
While in Paris I thought it nigh
profit me to see the inoculations fol
hydrophobis as made by NJ. pssteur,
the results of which have within thu
past few months attracted universal
attention. Thanks to his kindness,
was invited to see the NEGOTIATIONS
made, to investigate his methods fol
preparing the inoculating fluid, the 10.
oculating Of the rabbits, from which
animal he prefers to derive the fluid
for protecting the human family from
rabies, and also was | shown the rab
bits in their different stages Of rabies,
NJ. Pasteur, let me here say, esps.
cially clans by his series Of inoculs.
tons to prevent rabies being estab.
lished in the human species after the
bite of rabid dog. Many of his cases
are due to cot-bites, and, as is familiar
to all, some have been caused by wolf.
bites, and, though he readily treats them
all, bis prognoses are not so positive
DOR favorable in these cases as when
the cause is from the bite Of the mad.
dog. Again He desires to begin the
treatment not later than the third week
after the patient has received the in
jury.
THE METHOD OF THE INOCULATI0N
is in nowise similar to that for small
pox, as many suppose. 1t consists in
injecting beneath the skin from twenty
| to twenty-five drops Of a thin, yellow.
ish fluid, which varies IN strength &C
cording to the case in which it is used.
On account OF the extreme looseness
Of the skin over the abdominal region
this is the part selected. The skin is
pinched up, the hypodermic needle is
inserted, the fluid injected, and the
operation is completed. In the ordi-
nary cases one Of these inoculationS
daily for twelve days is sufficient, and
the patient receives . certificate that he
has been treated by NJ. Pasteur. Some
times, in the more severe cases, they
are given this treatment twice daily at
the first.
The wounds are examined and treat
ed locally in another room, and some
of those | saw were Of considerable
size and very angry-looking. The
treatment for these are according to the
regular treatment Of wounds in gene
ral-viz., cleansing, application of caus-
tic when needed, and powdered iodo-
form busted upon them, then BAN
dsged.
THE FLUID WHEN USED.
The preparation of the fluid used for
incubation takes place at his old labo-
ratory, on Rue d'Ulm, and consists
simply in taking the brain and spinal
cord from q rabbit that has died from
bydrophobia and exposing it in bottle
containing potash, the fluid being pro.
duced by the action Of the potash. This
fluid is not to be used until four days
have passed. After this fluid has been
prepared fourteen days it is used for a
patient who is to be in0culGted for tho
first time, and for the second inocula-
ton the fluid used is only thirteen days
made, and thus the age of the fluid de-
creases as the number Of inoculstions
increase. To inoculate the rabbit for
the production of rabies $50 that it'
spinal cord and brain may DO procured
for making this fluid one or too drops
of the fluid only twenty:four TO forty
eight hours made is injected into the
brain. sac (dura mater. In six and 0
half to seven days the rabbit so treated
will show the first symptoms Of hydro
phobia Tor rabies), and death will fol.
low in four days, or eleven days after
it was first inoculsted; then its brain
and spinal cord are taken and more
fluid prepared. Two or more rabbit:
are thus treated daily.
THE NUMBER OF CASES TREATED
NJ. Pasteur has about half dozen
assistants, and is very busy, the mum.
Der ofhis patients increasing constantly
He has already treated over l,G00 mid
die of july, and Of these twelve have
died from hydrophobia. Six of these
patients were bitten by wolves, five
were bitten by cats, and one by mad.
dog. This last case has been much dis
cussed by the Paris press recently, and
the facts seem to be these: The man,
NJ. Bowler, was bitten in the hand,
and shortly thereafter presented him.
self for treatment. He had been fol
some time past a hard drinker, and ac'
customed to have his sprees. During
the term Of treatment he INDUCED freely
one or more times, and did not attend
the clinic for treatment quite as regu'
larly as was advised. Still, as the more
favorable cases are those bitten upon
the hand, he was discharged. Whcr
soon after reaching his home lin
France) he had completed another jolll.
fication, and then developed true hydro
| phobia.
PASTEUR's SUCCESS.
| Certain it is Monsieur PaSteur Is
gaining confidence among his own PEG.
pie, even among the medical fraternity,
that do not, as rule, take up new doc.
trines very readily. The Government
have subscribed 5000 to carry on his
treatment, and he has received nearly
| s25O,OO0 from other parties. His in-
yestigations have undoubtedly been
carried on in scientific manner, and |
believe his principle to be good one ;
at any rate it is decidedly the best we
now have. Should it be firmly estab-
lished as a specific treatment for the
cure Of hydrophobia it will be a great
boon to the human race, and especially
TO Psrisians, for nearly every one here
has one or more dogs, aud as no law
exists here for muzzling the species,
much of the hydrophobia is produced in
this city. All nationalities are to be seen
registered upon Monsieur Pssteur's
books, and many different languages
are heard at his clinics. The last gift
from the city government has been the