The times., 1897-07-25
EXPERIMENTS WITH GERMS.
Rabbits Inocculated With Virus
From Spriogmann's Spine.

From Spriogmann's Spine.
Less than three hours after the autopsy
was held On the body of Charles E. Spring
mann, the young man who died an awful
death from hydrophobia, the virus obtained
from q section of the spinal column of the
boy was carried to the laboratory Of the
Bureau OF Animal Industry at the Agri'
cultural Department, and there niost In
teresting scientific experiment was com
meneed.
| rhe germs OF the disease always exist
in the .nedula oblongata, or the section OF
the spine Immediately below the base of
the skull This was the part removed
from the body CT young springmann, and
in 1t the doctors conducting the experiment
expect to find those germs which will
prove to many sksptics the existence of
the disease known as hydropneumo-p -phobia
fear of water and air-and from which
young Sprngmann undoubtedly died
The results of the experiment will be
awaited with keenest interest by MEM
| bers OF the medical profession in this city
| and also by the general public
-Four pink-eyed, furry little rabbits are
| 20 be the victims of this scientific investi-
! from the dead boys body reached the
laboratory, Dr.. Navgaard, under direction
| of Dr. Salmon, the chief of the bureau,
| set to work 70 extract the virus. This
| was soon done and then the rabbits were
| brought out for incubation. They are
| all perfectly healthy animals and are
kept ny the physicians of the bureau for
| Just such experiments. They live In q
| wire cage and are given the best food
| and care to insure perfect condition when
| one Is made the subject for experiment.
| Incisions Were made in the skin OF each
rabbit at the base OF the neck and the
virus was freely applied to the small
wound. Afterw ard healing lotion was
/ applied and in few days there will be
no sign OF the wounds remaining. The
! rabbits were put back in their cages. and
from now on they will be fed before.
| But the little animals will have more at
| tention directed to themselves than at an y
| previous time in their short lives. The
| phi ysicians ia charge will keep an eye On
them continually, and their every action
! will be noted. After while perhaps in
two weeks, their temperature will be taken
| frequently, and every indication of the
approach of rabbies will be watched for
II such symptoms appear, water will be
placed where the animals can see 1t and
they will also be exposed to strong
| draughts OF air to ascertain whether the Y
possess the same antipathy to air as TO
| water
In speaking of the experiment yester-
day afternoon, Or. Salmon said TO n
| Times reporter that he hoped the ex-
pertinent would result in a demonstration
that hydropneufno- pbobia actually does
exist.
Dr.. Salmon characterized the statement
attributed TO some ply sicians that '.dumh
rabies" afflict large numbers OF dogs as
absurd. He said, dumb rabies" was
merely term used TO de scribe the con
dition of an animal or human being suffer
ing from hydrophobia and unable to use
the jaw muscles, and was not specie,
OF rabies at all. He said there were nc
intermediate kin Ids or hydrophobia and that
persons or animals who were AFFLICTED
with it were invariably driven mad.
| With regard TO the possible failure OF the
| experiment now being conducted with tht
virus from the Springmann boys spine DR.
Salmon was nOn-committai. He said II
was of course possible that the chemicals
used In the einbalning process had counter
act the effect or the poison. and that the
inocHlatiGn OF the rabbits would produce
no results