El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-10

with virus. and from this untold hun
dreds OF cases may be produced in the
laboratory. It is seldom contracted
through the stomach. Dogs fed on the
meat Of affected animals never take
the disease unless there is an abrasion
about the mouth or along the alimen-
tary canal through which the Infection
may pass. 1t is sometimes passed
through milk. but in these cases only
where an abrasion exists.
The Pasteur Treatment.
It was the studies of the famous
French physician. Dr. Pasteur, which
served to rob hydrophobia of its
greatest terrors The trea tment devised
by him consists in the administration
for a number of days of virus OF vari-
Gus strengths into the human system
by hypodermic methods. The first
dose consists of an emulsion of the
spinal cord of an affected dog. which
has been kept for IA days. This emul-
sion looses its strength in proportion
to the time 1T is kept and a Today
emulsion IS consequently much strong
er than 14-day emulsion With each
succeeding day it is administered the
virus is OF increased strength, until
the maximum is reached. when virus
only three days old is administered.
By the time this maximum dose is
used the patients system is able to re-
sist the attack of the virus which has
been introduced by the bite Of the dog.
Treating Hydrophobia.
There are now 20 institutions in the
United States where treatment along
the lines laid down by Pasteur may be
had. Twelve of these institutions are
under official auspices. During the
past few years the United States public
IL
Washington has been treating patients
free at it's hygienic laboratory. Those
who are not able to go to Washington
may secure the necessary virus for
treatment under requisition by the
public health authorities of their re-
spective communities. The state of
Connecticut seems to have a model law
for the handling Of hydrophobia cases.
It levies dog tax through which a
fund is created for the reimbursement
of those who need treatment for hydro.
phobia.
The statistics of the treatment of
hydrophobia by the Pasteur method
show some remarkable results. OF the
30,759 cases Of persons bitten by ami
mails infected with rabies treated in
the Pasteur institute of Paris there
were only 126 deaths. Statistics from
similar institutions in all Of the big
cities of Europe reveal like success
in the administration of this form OF
incubation.
Ar italian Treatment.
Several other methods of treating hy-
drophobia are in use in Europe. A
number OF Italian physicians get the
strongest virus they can find. and
subject it to the peptic action of gas
trio Juice for varying periods The
weakest virus is administered at first.
and the dose gradually strengthened
in quality rather than quantity until
the maximum is reached. A new idea
in the treatment of impending hydro
phobia employs the well known princi-
pie of vaccination In this the virus
is taken from a vaccinated animal, and
one part to $4,000 Of the lightweight
of the victim to be inoculated is in
serted hypoderpically. This creates
an anti-toxin which has proved sue
cessful where tried.
The scientist in the laboratory is
able to work some peculiar results
with the germ of hydrophobia. He
can intensity ii or weaken 1t at will.
The strength of virus in dogs is always
the same. BY inocuiating a monkey
with the virus from dog. and another
monkey with the virus from the first
monkey, he is able to so alternate or
weaken the germ that 1t cannot pro-
duce death On the other hand, he can
pass this weakened germ back through
guinea pigs. rabbits and dogs until it
acquires its former strength. BY inoc-
ulating a succession of dogs the virus
may be intensified. and it is this inten-
sified virus which forms the basis of
the Pasteur treatment.
That the laboratory experiments