Mt PASTEUR'S RABBIT CURE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1791, 16 March 1888, Page 3

M t PASTEUR'S RABBIT CURE.

A Pans correspoudent of the Melbourne " Argna " has supplied that journal with an account of an interesting experiment with M. Pasteur's chicken cholera microbes on tbe property of Mme. Pommery, whose name is bo well-known throughout the world to all who drink champagne, and to many ■who cannot afford to drink it. He writes : — Mine. Pommary informed JVC. Pasteur that she was the owner of a piece of land near Kheime, measuring about eight acres, where the multiplication of rabbits had become a Ferioua nuisance, and that if he wished to make an experiment there to obtain the scientific proof of the efficacy of his method he was at liberty to do bo. The invitation was accepted I have jast made a thorough inquiry on the spot into all the circutn stances connected with the Treasures taken by M. Loir on December 23rd. Mme. Pommery's champagne cellars are about a mi'e from Hheims The area of these cellars comprises many ucreß of lanl. Tho field of eighc acrts, a 7 ready mentioned, is corapjetely undermined by them, but tlieae are only of late construction. Some four or frve years ego the eight acres coveting the new cellais were enclosed by a high wall. It was soon diediscovered that a few rabbits had m this way been made prisoner?, but it did not occur to anybody then that the animals wonld become a nuisance. They, however^ multiplied acasz^cgly, and neither shooting nor trapping appeared to diminish their namber. The soil Is composed almost entirely of chalk, and daring the oonßtmctlon of the cellars the excavated chalk was heaped up In various parts of the field. These heaps off ared an admirable shelter to tbe rabbits, and whenever anybody entered the field — especially In the early morning and evening — hundreds of them would be saen making towards this favorite refuge. They were so wide awake that It was nu easy matter to ehoot them Ferreta and nets were tried, but the boles were bo Innumerable that the numbers caught were insignificant. The whole field was honeycombed by them. Every day dead rabbits were found m the cellars underneath. Their burrowing habits were the death of them. It was the Id jury which they did to the openings that ventilated the cellars that decided Mmc Pommery to call m the assistance of M. Pasteur, If ftiaiafe bad been a lowed to do her own work the nuisance wonld not have assumed inch proportions. The animals became to numerous that the herbage of the field was insufficient for their sustenance, They nibbled every blade of graßa down to the chalky soil, and were still hungry. Mmc Pomeroy was too klml-hearted to Ist them starve, although she wished them dead. Accordingly, every day sufficient hay and dry clover to feed several horses was placad m the field. Such was the state of affairs when M. Loir arrived at Rheims on the 23rd December. He brought with him a few quarts of broth — the ordinary bouillon made from beef, which enters so largely into the nutrition of the French — m which M. Pasteur had allowed the microbe of hen cholera to propagate. With this liquid M. Lois sprinkled from a common garden watering-pot about as much dry clover as two men could carry easily m their arms, and haviDg left the prepared clover m the field returned to Paris. The next morning eleven rabbits wore found dead on the very spot where the clover had been placed. Their case was similar to that of men who, during an epidemic of cholera, die almost immediately after receiving the pqitfon. Eight more dead tabbits wera found scattered at various distances. The following day some soil was removed about the burrows, and twelve more corpses were found lying one npon another In the field not a living rabbit was to be Been, even at those houra when they were to be observed by trie hundred prior to M. Loir's vielt. There is every reason to 'believe that the burrows, and especially the heaps of chalk blocks, conceal a multitude of corpses I had a long conversation with one of the partners of Pommery and Co., and he appeared to be convinced that every rabbit had been destroyed. He was therefore rather surprised whan I told him that I had myiself seen two running about m the field that morning. I should Bay that I waß keeping a very keen look-out for them, for the employes of the firm were In such high spirits at having got rid of tbe nuisance (especially the nuisance of feeding the rabbits) that thoitr eyes were cot' prepared to see any more white tails disappearing among the blocks of chalk. JJut although I had had positive proof that all the r.ibblts In this fi Id ha?e not been destroyed, T am satisfied that very lew remain. 7 Those whioh I saw were In & remote corner o£ the field, which appear* to have escaped M Motr's attention. It 18 reasonable to conclude that some of the fabbltß here, favored by their situation, neither ate the poisoned clover nor came jnto qontact with animals Infected by the disease. A repetition of the experiment Wonld doubtless suffice to kill every one ef those that remain .

The result already obtained {a to all Intents and purposes conclusive. It proves that the method proposed by M. Pasteur will, if it be applied scientifically and with that expenditure of time and troubie which the circumstances demand, entirely rid Australia of the rabbit pest,