EXTRACTS' FROM EXCHANGES. 
633 
inknown, and no information can be obtained upon their ways 
)f acting previous to the accident. To conclude from the ab- 
;ence of all apparent lesion to the non-existence of rabies, would 
nean that the persons who were bitten need no treatment and 
hey would be exposed to contract the disease. During the last 
ew years several persons have died with rabies because the 
legative result of the post-mortem have given them a false 
security. Then, again, if inoculation of the bulb will tell with 
certainty whether the dog was mad or not, this certainty is not 
)btained before fifteen or twenty days : it would be imprudent 
o await the result of the inoculation to begin treatment, as in 
he majority of cases it would be too late. For this reason, no 
loubt, without having a sure mode of diagnosis, we never fail 
o recommend the antirabic treatment, whose perfect innocuity 
leeds no more proof. It can be easily conceived with what in- 
erest veterinarians heard of the communications of MM. Van 
lehuchten and Nelis, and with what enthusiasm they went to 
vork, not to confirm the exactness of the facts advanced by 
ucli authorized specialists, but to find out in what measure the 
nethod they recommend can be practically applied. If it was 
rue that, hereafter, in a few hours, we could with certainty 
tnd in every case, tell that such suspicious dog is rabid or not, 
he problem would be solved ; numerous victims might be in 
he future delivered from all the anxiety deriving from the fact 
>f having been bitten, as well as the loss of time, unnecessary 
:xpenses, etc. It was not possible to doubt the existence of 
he lesions described by MM. Van Gehuchten and Nelis in 
he cerebro-spinal ganglions of mad dogs ; no more than there 
lad been any expressed upon the truth of the alterations men- 
ioned by M. Babes in the nervous centres ; the high compe- 
ency of those authors was a sufficient guaranty of the correct- 
less of their presence. But the questions might be asked : 
i) If these lesions, constant in the mad dog, are special to 
abies ? (2) If they are not observed in other infectious 
liseases in the nervous centres? (3) Lastly and specially, 
f they exist, sufficiently defined, to allow any doubt, in all 
)eriods of the disease? It must not be forgotten that the saliva 
>f the dog is virulent from the beginning of the disease, even 
)efore it has manifested itself by the first symptoms which 
nake its presence suspected. If not, the method of MM. Van 
lehuchten and Nelis, so precious by its simplicity and its rap- 
dity, would lose all practical importance ; we would fall back 
nto our uncertainty, and, as in the past, acknowledge the neces- 
