xl INTRODUCTION. 



saliva. The 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. Eadot finished his task. But last 

 May, at the instance of M. Pasteur, a commission 

 was appointed 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 

 report, issued to appease public impatience, reached 

 me before I quitted Switzerland this year. It inspires 

 the sure and certain hope that, as regards the attenu- 

 ation 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 

 succumbed 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 

 inoculation with the most potent virus. 



