64 VACCINE AND SERUM THERAPY 



avoid injections in the regions of nerves, as these may 

 be injured. If a more rapid protection is desired, 

 filtered emulsions may be given intravenously. 



Serinn Treatment: Antirahic Serum. — The serum 

 of animals immunised by the Pasteurian method is 

 capable of neutralising the virus of the disease. It is 

 impossible to say whether this serum is antitoxic or 

 germicidal, on account of the want of knowledge of 

 the causative factor. 



Tizzoni and Centanni recommend this serum as a 

 protective against the disease in animals and persons 

 who have been bitten, instead of the Pasteurian treat- 

 ment. They consider this method is quicker and 

 equally certain. The serum is prepared by inocu- 

 lating sheep with rabic material, attenuated by the 

 *' Italian method." The fresh serum is dried over 

 sulphuric acid, and preserved in this form indefinitely. 

 Doses of from 20 to 40 c.c. should be used, given 

 in three injections — one-half first, then the remaining 

 half in two doses at intervals of three days. The 

 amount of serum above is advised for cases which 

 come under treatment within the first four days after 

 the bite. For cases seen within the fourth and four- 

 teenth day the amount of serum should be doubled, 

 and very large quantities should be given in cases 

 with the bites about the head. In veterinary patients 

 which have been exposed to the virus of rabies, serum 

 should be first used, followed by vaccination, and the 

 animal kept under close observation until the prob- 

 able incubative period has passed. Antirabic virus 



