July 6, 1882] 



NATURE 



22 1 



pliquee doit finir par epuiser les forces d'un seul homme, surtout 

 coinme je suis oblige de vouer la plus grande partie de mon 

 temps a une activite differente. II est egalement clair, qu'une 

 entreprise, n'ayant pour appui que l'initiative individuelle, ne 

 peut etre poursuivie avec autant d'exactitude et de perfection, 

 qu'etant basee sur une institution publique. II me semble, en fin, 

 que ces recherclies sont d'une telle importance, qu'il est a desirer, 

 qu'elles soient continuees si e'nergiquement et sur une echelle si 

 complete que possible. Cela ne peut se faire, selon mon avis, 

 que par la creation, par l'etat, d'un etablissement special pour 

 ces recherclies. Les principes sur lesquels je voudrais voir base 

 un tel institut, les voici : 



[a) L'institut sera ctabli a Drontbeim (63° 27' lat. N., 8° 5' 

 long. E.P.), endroit a peu pres central dans le pays et mis en 

 vive communication avec l'etranger par des bateaux-a-vapeur et 

 des chemin-de-fer. Situe a 30° S. seulement du cercle polaire, 

 il est assez rapproche de la zone le plus active des forces du 

 magnetisme terrestre, ce qui, entre autres choses, est aussiprouve 

 par le fait que, pendant l'hiver de 1SS0-81, non moins de 62 

 aurores boreales ont ete observees par un de mes observateurs, 

 et que les perturbations telegraphiques y sont aussi tres-f requentes ; 

 dans la periode I Julliet 1SS1-30, Avril 18S1 on en a coinpte a 

 pas moins de 122 jours (plus de 40 c /°) dont une partie insigni- 

 fiante provenant des orages. 



{/>) 11 sera construit 1 our l'institut, sur un emplacement a 

 l'horizon libre, un edifice special, situe de maniere a ne pas etre 

 gene par la lumiere artificielle. Sans compter l'ap] artement du 

 directeur, l'edifice doit contenii une salle de travail, des cabinets 

 pour les instrument'-", une tour, contenant une chamhre a vue 

 libre dans tous les sens et une plateforme. 



(<r) L'institut tachera de devenir le point cential des observa- 

 tions de- aurores boreales en Europe. Tout en faisant lui-metue 

 toutes les observations possibles, il veillera sur la regularity des 

 observations dans toute I'Europe seplentrionale, dans ITslande 

 et dans le Greenland, il en chargcra lesnavires navigant les mers 

 arctiques etc. 



(J) L'institut se fera egalement le centre des observations des 

 perturbations telegraphiques, recues de toutes les ligi.es tele- 

 graphiques de Norvege et de Suede. Le rheographe cite plus- 

 haut sera employe^ a des observations nocturnes sur une ligne 

 longue. De semblables recherches seront faites a l'aide des 

 lignes telephoniques de Drontheim. 



(e) Sans compter les spectroscopes, les theodolites pour les 

 aurores etc., t'instimt sera pourvu d'une serie d'instruments de 

 variation, a Taction spontance, places dans un pavilion 

 particulier. 



(/) L'institut public tous les ans les observations recueillies et 

 classifiees par lui, ainsi que leurs resultats. 



Je suis persuade qu'un observatoire, base sur ces principes, 

 pourra rendre d'importants services a la science, et j'e-pere que 

 la realisation de cette idee sera accueillie avec joie par le monde 

 scientifique. 



J'adresse cette communication a vous, M. l'Editeur, et a 

 d'autres autorites reconnues sur ce terrain de la science, pour que 

 cette question soit souimse a votre jugement. Je vous prie de 

 vouloir bien me communiquer votre opinion sur les mcVites d'un 

 tel institut, afin que le poids de votre nom me serve d'appui dans 

 mes efforts pour la realisation de mon projet — si toutefois 1'idee 

 gagne votre approbation, ce dont je ne doute pas. Si vous y 

 ajoutiez encore la bonte de formuler des propositions eventuelles 

 et des conseils pour l'organisation de l'institut, pour son plan de 

 travail etc., je vous serais egalement tres reconnaissant. 



Dans l'espoir d'etre honore d'une prompte reponse, qui pourra 

 etre concue dans quelque langue que vous deviez desirer, j'ai 

 l'honneur, M. l'Editeur de vous prier d'agreer l'expres-ion de 

 mes sentiments les plus distingues. 



Bergen en Norvege, Juiti SorHUS Tromholt 



Hydrophobia and Snake-bite 



It has been the fashion of 1 ;te, in newspaper and other com- 

 mentaries on the numerous experiments in starch of an antidote 

 for serpent-venom, which are now attracting general notice in 

 different parts of the world, to compare snake-bites with 

 hydrophobia, and to raise h\ potheses and suggestions that the 

 remedy, when it is discovered, for the one, will be found also to 

 effect the cure of the other. Such a surmise, one would imagine, 

 must be based on a very superficial knowledge, even of the rough 

 outlines of the two affections, and in total ignorance of their 

 pathological characteristics. What are their point- of similarity 



and distinction, dismissing all rhodoniontade involving such 

 terms as " ferments " and "active principles," "germs," and 

 "vibriones" — expressions which are very convenient to make 

 use of as signifying an unknown something, but which, in 

 their literal meaning, indicate definite actualities, the existence 

 of which has certainly never been shown by tangible demonstra- 

 tion in the present instances? Hydrophobia and blood-poison- 

 ing by a venomous snake-bite are alike, then, in being produced 

 by an animal poison, commonly conveyed by the living animal ; 

 in being of intense virulence, accompanied by many parallel 

 symptoms denoting violent constitutional disturbance, and great 

 prostration of the vital powers ; and, in some cases, in leaving 

 certain post-mortem lesions which are identical. But there all 

 likeness ceases ; and even without considering the grand 

 differences which exist between them, however viewed, I 

 think we shall find these items of resemblance when ana- 

 lysed a very insufficient foundation for the theory of the pro- 

 bability of a common antidote. To begin with, the poison in- 

 one is a natural secretion, provided for the distinct physiological 

 purpose of enabling the reptile to secure its prey ; in the other, a 

 new and morbid product generated by disease in a secretion 

 naturally innoxious — whether by chemical decomposition or by 

 the formation of new compounds from materials preexistent 

 there or from others specially eliminated from the blood, we 

 cannot say. For it is to be observed that neither the microscope 

 nor chemical examination has afforded us any clue to the mys- 

 terious ingredient which constitutes the toxamiic property of 

 these fluids as yet. Then, in the second place, as to the acute- 

 ness of the symptoms of vital disturbance ; neither the symptoms 

 themselves nor their severity are specific to these affections, but 

 are such as might be produced by any grave interference with 

 the relation of tissues or function — a deadly mineral or vegetable 

 poison, the rapid course of a zymotic disorder, violent concus- 

 sion, or the rupture of an internal organ. Lastly, the occasional 

 identity of the appearances after death from snake-bite H ith 

 those which are constant in hydrophobia (notably those observed 

 in the spinal cord) are little to be relied upon, partly on account 

 of their comparative infrequency, and partly because they are 

 not in themselves primary evidences of the introduction of the 

 poison, but tertiary to it— secondary to the effects which result 

 from the action of the altered blord and its new and vital 

 Unction 1 n other ti-sues. Ore is compelled to attribute such 

 phenomena to something more than passive contamination (as 

 the idea giving rise to some recent experiments would seem to- 

 be), and to recognise a defined potential agency in the new 

 formation. 



The fact that the hydrophobic poison is located, and under- 

 goes a period of incubation at the seat of the original wound, 

 even long after cicatrisation, and is not diffused in what we 

 vaguely call the "system," draws a broad line of separation 

 between the patholoszy of this disease and snake-poisoning, 

 and renders it perfectly unique in the category of ills known 

 to medical science. The constitutional symptoms never ap- 

 pear in less than three weeks after the bite, rarely under six, 

 and may be delayed for twelve month'. Could there be a 

 greater contrast to the impetuosity of the changes sequent on 

 inoculation with the poison of a serpent? Both the latter fluid 

 and the saliva of a mad dog are incapable of producing their 

 characteristic effects when absorbed through mucous membrane, 

 but that is a circumstance common to most animal viruses. 



There is a far greater similarity between the course of some of 

 the rapidly fatal tropical fevers and a snake-bite, than there is 

 between that injury and hydrophobia. The inception of a mor- 

 bific agent — though of what nature, or through what channel, is 

 uncertain ; the almost instant development of acute symptoms — 

 for, if there is any period of latency, it must be a very brief 

 one ; the intense disorganisation of the economy produced within 

 a few hours ; the nearly inevitable termination in death — all 

 surest a comparison which will not ! e thought strained or far- 

 fetched by those who have witnessed the progress of these ap- 

 palling diseases. My friend Dr. Fairbairn, of Rio de Janeiro, 

 who has probably seen more of yellow fever than any man 

 alive, and who has certainly met with greater success in his 

 treatment of it than any other physician whose experience has 

 been placed on record, called my attention to this resemblance, 

 with which he had long been impressed, living in a region wdiich 

 afforded plenty of opportunities for observing both ; so much so, 

 that he expressed a conviction that many points of identity of 

 process and morbid anatomy w ould eventually be revealed. His 

 last words to me at parting were: "Now, mind— if you ever 



