PASTEUR'S GREAT RESEARCHES. His Experiments in Seeking a Remedy for Hydrophobia.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 99, 25 April 1885, Page 5

PASTEUR'S GREAT RESEARCHES. His Experiments in Seeking a Remedy for Hydrophobia.

There ia every reason to believe that M. Pasteur has at length entered upon the final phase of an investigation which has claimed his undivided attention during a period extending over more than five years; and it is gratifying to learn from the lips of the great chemist himself that the practical outcome of his experiments will be to provide an effectual prophylactic against that terrible and deadly disease of hydrophobia. Rabbits are inoculated with beef tea solution impregnated with the attenuated virus taken from the brain of a monkey. The effect is truly remarkable. In every case the rabbit is mortally stricken, but the symptoms differ so materially as almost to induce the belief that the disease is no longer true rabies. Death is slow of approach, and is always caused by paralysis, sometimes partial, sometimes complete. It is the brain of a rabbit which has died in this way that is employed for the prepara tion of a beef-tea lymph wherewith to perform the vaccination of does. Its introduction is usually effected by a slight scratch upon the skin covering the intestines. By operating upon the ekin of the dog, as indicated, no apparent alteration is caused in its normal condition, and I saw many vaccinated dogs in the capacious kennels erected by M. Pasteut iv the courtyard of the College Rollin which looked healthy and lively enough to warrant the belief that the inoculation to which they had been subjected had produced no ill effects upon the system. The virus must not pass through more than one rabbit before being communicated to the dog, since the effect upon the virusof such an operation is exactly the reverse of that occurring: in monkeys It is rendered more potent instead of becoming less dangerous. At the present time M. Pasteur is experimenting upon over 100 dogs. Those dogs which areinjected with strong virus without previous vaccination are separately confined in very strong cages. Those which are i vaccinated are kept in a series of kennels. They are not, however, permitted to mix together. Each animal has its own kennel. They are all scrupulously clean, and have

an abundance of good food. Dogs are constantly arriving from all directions, and it seems to be an understood thing that any animal which has been bitten by a mad dog is to be sent to M. Posteur for vaccination and experiment, I saw one beautiful hound, the property of a lady of means residing in Paris, which had been bitten in this way, but which had not developed symptoms of rabies. It was inoculated no less than five times, one month being allowed to elapse between each successive operation, in order to sco if any, illness would result. It is now believed to be incapable of taking the disease. An injection of exceedingly strong virus was administered on Jan. 5, I saw the dog on the 11th of this month, and certainly by reference to the action of its tail, and the clearness of its eyes, no animal could have looked happier or in a more healthy condition. When the investigation is completed it is certain that dogs will be rendered proof against radios by inoculation with a weakened virus, which will, without the development of dangerous symptoms, absorb certain ingredients which the strong vhus now requires in order that it may flourish. It is probable that all veterinary surgeons will be provided with the stock of the attenuated virus, and it is not unlikely that its employment will not be only sanctioned but enforced by legislation. One great difficulty has, however, still to be dealt with. At present it is necessary to sacrifice life in order to obtain the attenuated virus. Dogs have first to be made mad ; monkeys nave next to suffer, and, finally, rabbits have to die by paralysis before the vaccine can be prepared, once the microbe is isolated. This condition of things need no longer exist, since we are justified in assuming, on the strength of work which M. Pasteur has already publithod, that the attenuation can be produced by cultivation in sterilised media of a purely artificial character.— "Pall Mall Gazette."