322 SURGERY 



In 1880, Pasteur announced to the French Academy of Science that 

 he had discovered a method of inoculation, by means of which he 

 could reduce the virulence of a disease caused by a special germ. 

 An attenuated virus of the germ-disease was inoculated into the 

 system of a susceptible animal, and this infection would give rise to 

 only a mild attack of the disease. The attenuation of the virus, as 

 Pasteur termed it, was accomplished by cultivation of the special 

 germ in certain mediums exposed to the air. His research up to this 

 time was limited to chicken-cholera; but he announced that in the 

 future he believed that the great principle of inoculation would 

 extend to other diseases. In 1881 he proved to the world the cor- 

 rectness of this view by announcing his cure of anthrax, that fatal 

 malady affecting sheep and cattle. The world was skeptical of his 

 discovery, and the president of the Agricultural Society of France 

 urged Pasteur to make a public test of his cure. To this proposition 

 Pasteur, in the true spirit of scientific faith, assented, because he 

 was fully convinced of the truth of his theory. Fifty sheep were 

 supplied by the president of the Agricultural Society for the test. 

 To this flock Pasteur requested that 10 cattle be added and 2 goats 

 be substituted for 2 sheep, with the understanding that failure in his 

 experiment with cattle and goats must not invalidate the test, since 

 he had never carried on experiments with cattle or goats. The accept- 

 ance of this challenge by Pasteur was a brave act; because he knew 

 if he failed in this public experiment the world would denounce and 

 deride him. The inoculations of the attenuated virus of anthrax were 

 then made on 24 sheep, one goat, and five cattle, at certain intervals 

 upon three successive occasions. After a proper time had elapsed 

 the 60 animals were inoculated with a culture of the anthrax microbe. 

 Forty-eight hours after this injection of the full-strength virus into 

 all the animals, the public gathered to witness the success or failure 

 of this most wonderful experiment in the scientific world. The sight 

 that the eyes of the vast crowd beheld beggars description. In the 

 paddock were seen dead or moribund every animal that had not 

 been previously inoculated with the attenuated virus. In this same 

 paddock were seen the remaining animals that were inoculated with 

 the attenuated virus walking about apparently in perfect health. 

 This paddock formed a veritable arena in which was witnessed the 

 greatest battle that science has ever fought. The victory was com- 

 plete, unequivocal, and overwhelming. This successful experiment 

 established a new epoch, and this new principle was soon applied to 

 certain human diseases. 



In 1885 Pasteur proved the value of this method in the treat- 

 ment of hydrophobia. In this latter disease the virus of rabies 

 was inoculated into guinea-pigs or rabbits, and an attenuated virus 

 was made from the spinal cord of these inoculated animals. The 



