HIS LIFE AND LABOURS. 197 



saliva is no doubt infected, but Pasteur soon proved 

 the real seat and empire of the disorder to be the 

 nervous system. 



The parasite of rabies had not been securely isolated 

 when M. Radot finished his task. But last May, at 

 the instance of M. Pasteur, a commission was ap- 

 pointed by the Minister of Public Instruction in 

 France, to examine and report upon the results which 

 he had up to that time obtained. A preliminary re- 

 port, issued to appease public impatience, reached me 

 before I quitted Switzerland this year. It inspires the 

 sure and certain hope that, as regards the attenuation 

 of the rabic virus, and the rendering of an animal by 

 inoculation proof against attack, the success of M. 

 Pasteur is assured. The Commission, though hitherto 

 extremely active, is far from the end of its labours ; 

 but the results obtained so far may be thus summed 

 up:— 



Of six dogs unprotected by vaccination, three suc- 

 cumbed to the bites of a dog in a furious state of 

 madness. 



Of eight unvaccinated dogs, six succumbed to the 

 intravenous inoculation of rabic matter. 



Of five unvaccinated dogs, all succumbed to inocu- 

 lation, by trepanning, of the brain. 



Finally, of three-and-twenty vaccinated dogs, not 

 one was attacked with the disease subsequent to in- 

 oculation with the most potent virus. 



Surely results such as those recorded in this book 

 are calculated, not only to arouse public interest, but to 

 excite public hope and wonder. Never before, during the 

 long period of its history, did a day like the present 

 dawn upon the science and art of medicine. Indeed, 

 previous to the discoveries of recent times, medicine 

 was not a science, but a collection of empirical, rules, 



