New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-28
DEFENDS PASTEUR WORK
Or. Rambaud Insists Danger OF
Rabies Is Serious.
ANSWERS DR.. M'LAUGHLlN
Latter Declared Diagnosis Was
Crossword and Disease Was
Harmless Anyway.

The danger to man from rabies as a re-
suit OF the bite Of a mad dog Is strongly
insisted on n an article to appear in The
New York Medical Journal for April q.
The article is In answer to previous one
on the subject in the same magazine by
mr. John A. Mclaughlin. a veterinarian.
belittling the seriousness OF hydrophobla
as we'll as medical progress In the study of
the disease In dogs and its treatment In
men.
The three main assertions made by Or.
Mclaughlin. to which DR. George Ram
! baud. director Of the Pasteur Institute.
makes fat denials, are that the labora-
tory has not made good in its study Of
the disease that "the diagnosis Of
rabies is purely guess work" and that the
bite Of rabid dog Is absolutely harmless
"a man"
The doctor evidently meant WE'LL Or.
Ranbaud says. speaking OF Or. McLaugh-
Inns description Of his own studies Of the
disease, "and was surely TO be compl
mented when he was 30 interested as to
take sick dog 20 bed with him every
night TO watch him. ] must confess 1
As TO the assertion that the bite Of a
mad dog is harmless. Or. Rambsud has
this TO say.
1T seems trivial TO ref,Ite such state
ment and yet II must be done. when with
in the last three days we have had occa-
sion TO see two cases OF rabies. one in a
man who died. and the other Of little
girl who died yesterday. April Is. In both
cases life would have been saved If those
concerned had rot shared Dr. NcLaughlin's
views"
Or. Rambaud points 10 record kept in
France Of $50 persons bitten by mad dogs.
OF which Number 500 died Of rabies or. 46.5
per cent He opposes these figures to the
three cases which DR. Mclaughlin said
came within his personal experience and
on which ne based his opinion Of the harnI-
lessness of mad dogs bite. And In re-
ply 20 the special mention made by Dr..
Mclaughlin OF one case that did result in
death after receiving the Pasteur treat
ment. Or Rambaud SAVE:
IF the patient died Of rabies. II S'n1p's
proves that the Pasteur Treatment l. not
infalihls and We FL know that Her" ~
the New York Pasteur Institute 2O5Z per-
sons received the PasteUr treatment lloni
100 20 1910 Rabies was proved Ut Inv
cases IN "a cases rabies had oseh pro-
rounced nv veterinarians, in the remain
ing Ssq csses tine disease was suspected.
Among these 2OS2 four died OF rabies IN
spite OF the treatment. 4 failure Of % per
mile. n not infsliibis, the Pastcur treat
mont NAV he alleged 70 be quite er1cient'
may II not,
In answer 20 NJ. McLaughlin's assertion
that The diagnosis Of rabies IS purely guess
work. Or. Ramhaud replies that me dlae-
nosie Of rabies in man is one OF the easiest
in the field of medicipe. and that any one
Uho has =eer one case can tell second
case at a glance As FOR the assertion That
the laboratory has not made good IN es-
tablishing the presence OF the disease IN
tho dog who has bitten a man in time 70
be az service in treating the victim, Ut.
Rsrlbaud cites many facts 20 the contrary.
Inocculation Of other animals WIN the
brain Of a dog supposed 20 have been
mad is the only infallible test. he says or
whether the dog was mad. But as TINS
takes some time. since the disease does
not manifest itself for ten days AT least.
the doctor says that niicroscopicai exam
nation has been proved dependable for at
least 90 Ter cent OF the cases. Therefore
the laboratory has made good" he says.
in clearing Up the diagnosis II rabies in
few hours in so per cent % all cases,
and in several days in the remaining 10
per cent"
Dr. Rambaud says the facts ne gives are
nothing new 10 those familiar with the
subject but that he puts them forth TO
orrse, the false impression that might ex-
ist among the public caused By reading
such articles rs Dr. McLaughlin's.