Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-24
PASTEUR ON RABIES.
The Master Of HydrOphObia Tells
What He Has Really Done.
HOW HIS DISCOVERY is VALUED.
Instances Of Remarkable Cures Effected
by InOculatiOn.
SIXTEEN RUSSIAN Peasants SAVED
WRITTEN FOR THE D1srArcH.i

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rabid WOLF The WOLF roaming through the
country for two days and two nights, had at.
tackled these peasants with such fury that
some were actually disfgured, while Others
were lacerated and bruised. This batch ol
Russians caused great anxiety, because,
whereas in the case of dog bites one person
] out Of six dies, the percentage of deaths
after bites from rabid wolves is very much
higher. The virus is the same, but in most
cases the dog after biting passes on, whereas
the wolf. worrying its victim, favors the in
PRODUCTION of virus. Often of 20 people Bit
ten by rabid wolf, every single one dies.
OF the 10 Russians 16 went home cured.
The three Russians who died had horrible
wounds on the head. At the post mOrtem
examination of One, broken tooth of the
wolf was found sticking in the skull. When,
on the eve of their departure, the 16 others,
after being cured. crossed the door of the
laboratory for the last time, they ielt re-
Egious veneration, just as if they had been
crossing the door of the Kremlin.
These 16 Russians are in excellent health
still. II is not difficult to explain the causes
of the failures of the treatment, when ap-
piled under the circumstances attending the
deaths of the three Russians, of whom we
have Just spoken. We have but to think
over the facts which we mentioned Just now,
while talking of the intra-cranial injections
of pure virus, which are always followed by
a fatal attack of rabies. The virus of rabies,
in the latter mode of procedure, is placed in
direct contact with the brain substance, and
begins to develop at once. The symptoms
OF rabies, nevertheless, even under these
conditions, show themselves only after a
fortnight has elapsed. 1t must often hap
pen that some of our patients who have been
bitten in a similar manner-especially it the
wounds be on the face, or, worse even, on
the head-the virus of rabies is carried to
the nervous centers in a very few days, or
even hours, after the bite, and acts under
these conditions as if it had been introduced
directly under the skull after trephining.
HOW RABIES SPREAD.
During the first days OF the month OF No
vember, 1887, setter dog of medium size
passed near the powder mandatory of
Pont-de-Buis, and attacked two dogs belong
ing to the director of the powder manufaet-
ory. The dog went on, and presently came
to place called Port Launay, meeting five
dogs, which he bit one after the other, but
which were atonce destroyed, as the dog biting
them appeared to be strange in his manner.
The same dog continued his progress. and
presently bit two watch dogs, two oxen
and two pigs. Then, retracing his steps, he
again paused at Pont-de-Buis, but was killed
by the director, who recognized him.
The director of the powder mandatory
closely observed his two dogs, and both died
of rabies fortnight afterward, and at one
days interval from each other. The vet
Urinary surgeon of Chateaulieu (Finistere)
and were able to recognize the disease our
selves. A few days afterward one of the
farm dogs belonging to Mr.. Aufert, who
had been bitten in the higher part of the
village, appeared to be strange in its man
ner, and was at once destroyed. Un-
fortunately, the two sons of Mr.. Auffert, 6
and years of age, were bitten by their
fathers dog, and died ofrabies about fort
night after.
The other farm dog belonged to an indi-
vIdual called Pirion de Pratyr. was tied up,
but on December broke the chain, and,
roaming round Chateaulieu, was stopped BY
q workman called Poulmarch, aged 43
years, who was bitten in the hand and died
of rabies on December 13. The dog was
locked up in the market house, but not
being closely watched, escaped and COM
pleteIy disappeared, and no one has been
able to find out what became of it.
On November 23 of the same year, a She
wolf started from Kernesal Wood, which is
situated six kilometres from Chateaulieu,
and bit in its progress men and animals
with great fury. She was killed ultimately
sixteen kilometres from her starting point
at Minez- Horn, just as she was biting the
young dog of a peasant. This man, seeing
the extreme state of fatigue and collapse of
the wolf, was able to put her out OF her
misery by Draining her with club.
During her progress, the she-wolf bit 81
farm animals (horses, cows, oxen), which
were closely watched until every single one
of them had died of rabies.
A TERRIBLE LIST.
The following are the names and ages of
the persons bitten by this animal, as we'll as
the description of their wounds:
A woman, aged 60, bitten in the shoulder and
hand, was not cauterized. Stu alive.
Cardion, Pierre, agedal3 bitten in the hand
and arm, was cauterized, but died on Decem-
Der9.
Allan, Pierre, aged 81, was horribly mutil-
Monjour, Jeanne, aged 10, bitten on the head
and hands, died on December IL of rabies, al
though she had been cauterized.
Monjour, Yves. aged 9, bitten on the face
and hand, had been cauter1zed, but died of
rabies on December 13
Moniour, Guillaume, aged 8, bitten on the
face and hand, had been cauteriZed, but died
of rabies on December IA
The four last patients were watching their
hOcks, and were bitten together, the wolf only
leaving one in order to throw herself on the
iron few hours after the accident.
Mr.. LIE Roy, aged q, several wounds on
hand, arm and face. He actually wrestled
with the brute. He was cauterized and lives
Miss Avant 20 years, was slightly bitten on
the shoulder through thick clothes. She was
not cauterized, and died of rabies January,
The last two patients went to St. Malo in
order to place themselves in the hands of a
Quack. The young woman died, but the young
man refused to be treated and is alive now.
A man about 30 years old was horribly bitten
in the head and sent to the hospital atBrest, in
order to have his wounds attended to-. he was
alive one year afterward, but have lost sight
of him since.
LIE Borne, aged Il, tried to escape from the
wolf BY climbing up a tree but was bitten in
Mionca. aged 13. and another child of the
same age, were not badly bitten, but were not
cauterized. Mionca died of rabies IA days
afterward, while the other is alive still.
-Four other peasants who met the beast
during its progress were bitten. do not
know what became of them afterward,
being unable to trace them. but ! am sure
that they did not die of rabies, at least not
during the same period as the other victims.
In the majority of these cases vaccination
by preventive inoculations would have
been applied too late, and these could not
therefore have increased the resisting |
powers of the nervous centers. It but sell |
dom happens, however, that persons are |
bitten under circumstances like those |
have just related; and, In desperate CAGES,
even, it would be unfair to refuse giving the |
preventive treatment trial, and wrong to |
give up all hope of cure, for the cases |
which have been cured after bites on the |
head and face are extremely numerous.
A QUESTION OF TIME.
This is the proper time to answer ques- i
tion which is often asked by patients or by
their friends. namely, whether it be expedi- |