196 MODERN BIOLOGIC THERAPEUSIS 



made to keep the animal securely confined and 

 under observation for at least two to six weeks, 

 or longer if possible. When an animal is killed 

 in the early stages of the disease, the changes 

 sought for in the brain as indicative of rabies 

 are likely to be entirely absent; and if these 

 changes are not found in an animal killed early 

 in the course of the disease, it does not indicate 

 that the animal did not have rabies. The saliva 

 may have contained the virus at the time of the 

 biting, and the person bitten may be dangerous- 

 ly infected with the disease ; for the saliva may 

 contain the virus several days before the animal 

 shows symptoms of the disease. 



Hence, rabies may result from the bite of an 

 animal apparently normal at the time of inflict- 

 ing the w r ound. Therefore, any animal sus- 

 pected of rabies should be securely confined and 

 kept under observation; but antirabic treatment 

 for the bitten individual should be started at 

 once. On account of the long period of time 

 sometimes necessary for the positive diagnosis 

 to be made in the animal, the disease may have 

 gained an incurable headway ; therefore, in sus- 

 picious cases, it is often advisable that the treat- 

 ment be started without waiting for diagnosis, 



