26 
CHARLES F. DAWSON. 
the injected virus. Aside from the serious objection to produc¬ 
ing an infected wound, which always occurs in the supra- 
cerebral method from the outflow of the injected virus through 
the perforated dura-mater, in this method all the virus injected 
remains, either on the base of the brain, or, if expelled from 
the dural cavity, probably lodges in the tissues of the posterior 
part of the orbital cavity. The method is, therefore, much 
safer as regards possible self-inoculation. The optic nerve is 
rarely injured, as it is quite small, and its mobility and density 
largely prevent the penetration of the needle into its substance. 
Moreover, the infra-cerebral method requires only a syringe to 
apply it, while the supra-cerebral method requires an expensive 
set of especially designed instruments. 
It is absolutely necessary that the animal be deeply anaes¬ 
thetized, and, as between chloroform and ether, the writer has 
found sulphuric ether to be the safe anaesthetic. Should the 
anaesthesia be too profound and the animal show symptoms of 
collapse, a few minims of weak alcohol given subcutaneously 
will revive it. The tongue should be gently pulled forward 
with a pair of forceps and artificial respiration performed by 
alternate pressure upon the abdomen and thorax. When natu¬ 
ral respiration is re-established, and the animal has completely 
recovered, it may be returned to its cage and kept under daily 
observation. 
Although the rabbits die with all the symptoms of rabies, 
an opinion should be given only after the nature of the disease 
has been thoroughly established. A diagnosis is, in a case 
where some one has been bitten, of suck prime importance, 
meaning in case of a positive diagnosis, the expenditure of a 
large amount of time and money for treatment on the part of 
the person bitten, and, in the case of negative results, relief 
from the constant dread of the disease, that post-mortem exami¬ 
nation of the experimental rabbits should be made to exclude 
the possibility of death from other causes. In addition to the 
macroscopic examination, culture tubes should be inoculated 
from the organs, and any cultures obtained should be studied to 
