Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-07
PASTEURS EXPERIMENTS.
InocuIatiOn Has Not Reached the
Point of Science.

From the London Times.
NJ. Pasteur is well known to be in the
highest sense a philosopher, a lover of
truth Tor its own sake, an experimenter of
consummate skill and of infinite prudence.
His Investigations into the sllkwOrm dis
ease, the grape disease, and into the
nature and mode of propagation of malig-
nant carbuncle have afforded abundant
evidence that he does not rush hastily TO
conclusions, when ne does arrive q them,
are worthy of the most respectful atten-
ton. On this question of rabies, however.
the facts are oDscured by great variety
of complcating circumstances Medical
men of eminence have even expressed
grave doubts as to whether there be such
a disease as hydrophobia, as result of
incubation with the poison of rabies, and
whether the facts may not be explained
by looking upon what has been called by
this name as a mere variety of tetanus
following wound, as nerve disease.
and not as consequence of poisonous
incubation. This view has now been
generally abandoned, but 1t was mainly
held on account of the extreme uncertain
ty of the effects of the bite ola dog which
was known or supposed to be rabId. The
percentage OF persons who have suffered
from hydrophobia after being so bitten has
always been extremely small, and the
period which has elapsed between the bite
and the commencement OF the disease has
been extremely variable, and in some
cases so prolonged as to render il very
difficult to frame any hypothesis by which
such period of dormancy Of an inocula-
ted poison could be explained.
In any given case 1t must be difficult.
even mt the time and for persons upon the
spot, TO say whether the conditions of
incubation by bite have been fulfilled.
The tooth which inilicts the wound may
have been wiped by clothing, either by
that of the person then bitten or by other
clothing short time before. Dogs sup
posed to be rabid are not always so, pro-
badly are not so in the great majority OF
cases; and, after biting, they are often
killed before their state can be determined,
In dealing with the human species, there
tore, some of the conditions OF conclusive
experiment are wanting; and errors may
arise from various causes which can only
be set aside by the long continued obser-
walton of very large number OF cases.
Much will be done In the direction of the
attainment OF certainty by experiments
with incubation conducted upon dogs
alone, and by the gradual application OF
the knowledge thus attained to men and
wemen who have been bitten; but columns
OF statistics compiled by DR.. This or
Auhl, ahu lcntiHS upon hlhJemeulb Jn0
original authenticity OF which does not
admit Of verifcation, have practically no
bearing at all upon u purely scientific
question, which can only be determined
by evidence collected in the strictest
manner and sifted with the most scrupu-
lous care. We entertain great hope that
NJ. Pasteurs discovery will be found TO
justify all his anticipations from IL; but
our hope is neither materially strength
t,lsl fs.-
DR.. Drysdale nor materially weakened by
the incredulity Of DR.. Anna Kingstord.
In ali such matters time Is the discoverer
OF the truth.