Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-24
FALSE RABIES CURE,
How DR.. Gibier's Pasteur In.
stitute Wins an Unde.
served Reputation.
INSTANCES OF FAILURE.
Sometimes the Afflicted Recover
Without Any Treatment.
HYDR0PH0BIA A GREAT RARITY.
Nearly All Reported Cases Are Something
Else or Imaginary.
INSTANCES OF FAILURE.
HYDR0PHOBIA A GREAT RARITY.
THE OPINION OF AN EMINENT DOCTOR

have happened in the last few days have at
tracted attention to DIR. Paul Gibier and the
Pasteur HYdrophobia Institute in this city.
Medical men of renown have never Endorsed
the alleged hydrophobia cure, and now sew
eral of them come out unhesitatingly ard
declare il TO be delusion.
Last week Myron Adams. one of Dr. Glib
ier's patients, who had been Is DAYS in the
institute and was discharged as cured, died
at Ashland, Mass, with every indication of
being victim of hydrophobia. This week
young Hugo Eitcl, who was said by four
physicians to be in the last stages of hydro
phobia, and who has never been treated by
DR.. Gibier, has entirely recovered. These
facts have raised a question as to the value
of the Pasteur treatment as administered in
This country, and also as to what physicians
know about hydrophobia-
1t is now Is months since Dr. Paul Gibier
opened the Pasteur Institute in this city,
1t was established at a time when the
Pasteur discoveries were new, and were the
THE TALK OF THE ENTIRE WORLD.
Gi5ier, who was q student in Pasteur's
laboratory in Paris, came to this country to
fll a long felt want; and enable dog
bitten citizens to avail themselves of
an opportunity to be inoculated
with the wonderful virus without under
going n trip to the French capital. His
advent was heralded by the press of the
United States. and patients flocked TO his
doors. They came from far away Texas, from
California and Canada as well as from less
tlistan: localities
From the day of opening to the present
time the Pasteur Institute has been doing a
rushing business, and the reason is plain.
The fear of being bitten by a rabid animal is
widespread. Shout 'mad dog in tie streets
of any city, and there will be panic Men
who have faced death in battle without
fiinching, will quail before a common cur
that some one saws is mad. Women swoon
with fright when they see dog running
from a gang of boys who are stoning it.
Children are driven crazy by the thought
that ,hey may have hydrophobia as the re-
suit of scratch by pet poodle.
From all parts of the country people who
have been bitten are sent TO this city for
treatment. They do not wait to obtain
evidence that the animal had rabies
Usually the dog or cat is killed at once.
EXPERIMENTS SOMETIMES MADE.
Sometimes, however, it escapes entirely
In some eases it has been announced that a
portion of the spinal cord of the animal was
removed in order to determine by expert
meHt whether the dog WAS mad OF not. A
few innocent rabbits OF guinea pigs were
inoculated, and then the public heard no
more of that end of the case.
Meanwhile the person who was bitten
would be rushed off 70 DIR Gibier for treat
mcnt. The less evidence there was of the
madness Of the animal, the more desirable
the patient and tic more certain the cure.
1t is doubtful if single patient has been
treated bY DIR. Gibier who was actually bit
ten By dog affected with rabies.
On the other hand, there have been several
instances where people who had been bitten
were refused treatment BY Dr. Gibe- be-
cause they showed a twitching of the mus
cles, one of the first indications of HYDRO
phobia: and in one case man who was re-
fused treatment by Gibier died in Chambers
Street Hospital in commissions caused in all
probability as much by fright as by any,
thing else.
The PasteUr Institute in New York is
located at No. 17S West Tenth street The
building is unpretentious, it being one of
the old residences which were formerly oc-
cupied by New York's haut ton in the davs
when living above Fourteenth street was
living in the country.
a DESCRIPTION OF THE HOUSE.
The house hus been remodeied to accom-
modate such patients as wish to be under
the constant care of DIR. Gibier A big
brass plate fixed to one of the door posts
and bearing the inscription, 'tNew York
Pasteur Institute is the only mark that
distinguishes the house from its neighbors.
a ring at the bell brings a tidy servant
TO the door and the visitor is ushered into a
reception room on the first floor There is
no attempt at display in the furnishing of
the room. Everything is there for use A
fairly good specimen OF the oriental rug
covers the floor and the walls are hung with
framed photographs of eminent French
physicians, Pastcur's likeness having the
place of honor above the mantel. The cur
rent numbers of the French illustrated pa
pers are on a center table. \ few substan-
tial plush-covered chairs and weil-worn
divan 20 to make up the contents of the
room where so many contiding people have
awaited with fear and trembling the call
which will usher them into the presence of
the man who both frightens them and
soOthes their fears.
The consultation room is in the rear of the
waiting room and separated from it by fold
ing doors and pair of heavy red curtains.
BEHIND THE CURTAINS.
When the doctor is ready for patient he
comes to the door himself, and holding aside
the curtains, SAYS, with a marked accent:
"Who ees the neGt?''
The caller who expects TO see something
out of the ordinary behind those curtains is
disappointed. The room where the iRocu-
lationS are made does not differ in any
marked respect from the office of practic-
ing physician. There is a big desk Uttered
with papers anG books of reference, and one
or two canvas bound volumes in which the
names, ages and histories of the patients
are entered. a big tank of oxygen which
is used by Dr. Gibier in the treatment of
tuberculosis stands in one corner of the
room.
Ono looks in vain for the vials containing
the much-taiked of hydrophobic virus, and
thc little necdle-pointed syringes which in
ject the fluid into the veins of the terror
stricken patient.
The innoculations are said to be painless,
and there is no visible effect on the person
being treated. The virus works according
to NJ. Pasteur's disciples, so gradually and
quietly that the prevention is accomplished
without the patients being aware of any
unusual disturbance taking place in their
systems.
BAD EFFECTS IN ONE CASE.
In one case only has any bad result been
reported That was the case of the young
surgeon who performed an autopsy on the
body of q man who died with symptoms of
the rabies at Chambers Street Hospital last
fall. The surgeon cut his finger while at
work on the body, and through fear of hy-
drophobia went to Dr. Gibier for treatment
He had taken only two or three injections
of the Pasteur fluid when he became sud.
denly i'll, and died within a few hours.
Dr. Gibier is g man whose personality