Protective vaccinations 465 



much smaller than the French ones, furnished far too small an amount 

 of vaccinal matter. This being the case, the introduction of a more 

 intensive treatment was sufficient to cause the mortality to drop 

 suddenly to 0*8 per cent. This fact, added to so many other proofs, 

 finally convinced the most sceptical and brought about a general 

 acceptance of the Pasteurian method. 



In course of time the number of cases observed has become very 

 considerable and the experience gained in the manipulation of this 

 method very wide. The improvements made in the details of the 

 vaccinal practice have brought about a progressive diminution in 

 the mortality amongst the persons treated. From 0*94 per cent, in 

 1886 the mortality (counted from the 16th day after the completion 

 of the vaccinations) fell in 1897 to 0*39 per cent., in 1900 to 0'28 per 

 cent. In the space of 15 years (18861900) there have been treated 

 in Paris 24,665 persons, of whom 107 died from rabies, giving an 

 average of 0*43 per cent. 1 . The greatest mortality was registered 

 during the early years of the application of the method, and the 

 rate of the later years (18961900) oscillated between 0'39 per cent, 

 and 0'20 per cent. 



The results obtained in the majority of the other antirabic insti- 

 tutes corroborate those of the Pasteur Institute of Paris. Thus, 

 according to the latest statistics of the St Petersburg Institute 2 , the 

 mortality, in 1899, among persons who had completed their vac- 

 cinations, was about 0'5 per cent. At Berlin 3 there were treated 

 during the same period 384 persons, of whom 2 died from rabies 

 during treatment, whilst a third succumbed on the 14th day after 

 the close of the vaccinations. Only this latter case ought, ac- 

 cording to the principles generally accepted, to be counted as an 

 unsuccessful case, this would give a mortality of 0*26 per cent. 



Quite recently, the antirabic treatment has been so reinforced that 

 the treatment terminates with the injection of cords desiccated for 

 two days or even one day only. The results of this intensive treat- 

 ment have not yet been reported upon. 



According to the statistics of the Berlin Institute rabies is far 



1 Report by Viala in the Ann. de I'Inst. Pasteur, Paris, 1901, t. xv, p. 445. 

 There will be found in Marie's work, "La rage" (Collection des aides-mem., Paris, 

 1900), many details on antirabic vaccination. 



2 According to Krajonchkine, in the Arch. d. Sci. biol., St Petersbourg, 1901, 

 t. viu, p. 349. 



3 According to Marx in Klin. Ja/irb., Berlin, 1900, Bd. vn, S. 1. 



B. 30 



