316 AGRICULTURAL BACTERIOLOGY 



preventive treatment has been administered at the Pasteur 

 Institute in Paris, but one-half of one per cent, have died 

 of rabies, while the mortality records of those that did not 

 receive the treatment are approximately ten per cent. 



Wounds inflicted by a dog known to be rabid, or suspected 

 of the disease, should be cauterized as soon as possible by the 

 application of concentrated nitric acid, strong carbolic acid, 

 or by a hot iron when the chemical agents are not available. 

 This strenuous treatment will destroy the tissue about the 

 wound, together with the virus that has been introduced by 

 the animal. The quicker the cauterization is carried out, 

 the more effective it will be. The cauterization, if it does 

 not completely destroy the virus in the tissue, will prolong 

 the period of incubation and thus give a better opportunity 

 for a careful diagnosis to be made and for the preventive 

 treatment to be applied in time to be successful. 



The treatment was first applied to a human being by Pas- 

 teur in 1886. Between 1886 and 1917, 48,107 people were 

 treated at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. From experience 

 it is known that at least 10 per cent, of this number would 

 have died from rabies if the protective inoculation had not 

 been administered. Actually but 137 of this great number 

 died from rabies. Pasteur has to his credit the saving in 

 his own laboratory of 4,673 people from a most horrible 

 death. Similar laboratories were soon- established in all 

 parts of the world. The total number of people saved from 

 rabies reaches many thousands. 



Eradication. Since the disease is transmitted almost en- 

 tirely by the dog, it could be prevented and eradicated by 

 keeping all dogs that are allowed their freedom muzzled at 

 all times. The effect of such measures is shown by the 

 history of rabies in England. The following figures repre- 

 sent the number of reports of the disease : 



