THE AETIOLOGY OF RABIES. 
227 
>on which rests our whole system of antiseptic surgery, who dis- 
osed the nature of the plague in the silk-worms in France and 
wised the methods for its prevention, who discovered the prin- 
ples underlying the method of protective vaccination in the dis- 
ise of animals and who has prepared the only practicable vac- 
nes, who has contributed as much as any man who has ever 
ved to our knowledge of micro-organisms and their relation to 
isease—does it seem probable that such a man has given nearly 
x years of continuous study to the consideration of rabies with- 
it achieving some substantial results ? Or does it seem prob¬ 
ole that he has been dealing all of these years with some form 
f septicaemia, as has been suggested, laboring under the delusion 
lean while that it was rabies ? This I cannot believe, and, if it 
, not true, then Pasteur’s conclusions must be in the main cor- 
3 ct, for certainly no one will question his honesty. 
Every great theory in science has been met by skepticism, 
pposition and ridicule. The theory of gravitation, the theory of 
volution, the theory of undulation, the atomic theory of matter, 
le dynamic theory of heat—have all been compelled to fight 
heir way to victory. So it has been with the germ theory of the 
ifectious and contagious diseases. Many members of the med¬ 
ial profession, in spite of the indisputable facts that have been 
I dduced to prove this, still refuse to accept it. 
Pasteur’s prophylactic method for rabies rests purely on 
mpirical grounds, and can only be fairly judged by the practical 
esults obtained by its use. So far as we know at present, these 
tave sustained the profession of the learned discoverer, and, until 
hey are refuted by further observations, I believe it is unjust to 
haracterize this work of Pasteur’s, as has recently been done, as 
>eing founded “ on untrustworthy experiments and unsound rea- 
oning,” deserving u to be rejected and condemned in the inter- 
ists of humanity as well as science.” On the other hand, if 
uture observations confirm the results that now seem to be at 
east probable, this discovery, added to his other achievements, 
vill rank Pasteur as one of the greatest benefactors of his race 
hat this generation has produced, and, from a scientific stand¬ 
point, it will be considered one of the grandest triumphs of the 
century 
1 1 
