These figures do not include cases which develop hydrophobia during
treatment or within fifteen days after treatment is completed, for it is
held that persons who die within that period have their nervous centres
invaded by virus before the cure has time to act. The true mortality
should therefore be considerably higher. For instance, in 1898 three
deaths came within this category, which just doubles the mortality; and
in 1899 the additional deaths were six, bringing the mortality up to
two-and-a-half times that indicated in the table. When, however, the
additional deaths are included the results remain sufficiently striking,
if two assumptions are granted--(1) that all the persons treated have
been bitten by rabid animals; (2) that a large proportion of persons so
bitten usually have hydrophobia. Unfortunately, both these assumptions
lack proof, and therefore the evidence of the efficacy of the treatment
cannot be said to satisfy a strictly scientific standard. With regard to
the first point, the patients are divided into three categories--(1)
those bitten by an animal the rabidity of which is proved by the
development of rabies in other animals bitten by it or inoculated from
its spinal cord; (2) those bitten by an animal pronounced rabid on a
veterinary examination; (3) those bitten by an animal suspected of being
rabid. The number of patients in each category in 1898 was (1) 141, (2)
855, (3) 469; and in 1899 it was (1) 152, (2) 1099, (3) 363. As might be
expected, the vast majority came under the second and third heads, in
which the evidence of rabidity is doubtful or altogether lacking. With
regard to the second point, the proportion of persons bitten by rabid
animals who ordinarily develop hydrophobia has only been "estimated"
from very inadequate data. Otto Bollinger from a series of collected
statistics states that before the introduction of the Pasteur treatment,
of patients bitten by dogs undoubtedly rabid 47% died, the rate being
33% in those whose wounds had been cauterized and 83% when there had
been no local treatment. If the number of rabid dogs be compared with
the deaths from hydrophobia in any year or series of years, it can
hardly be very high. For instance, in 1895, 668 dogs, besides other
animals, were killed and certified to be rabid in England, and the
deaths from hydrophobia were twenty. Of course this proves nothing, as
the number of persons bitten is not known, but the difference between
the amount of rabies and of hydrophobia is suggestively great in view of
the marked propensity of rabid dogs to bite, nor is it accounted for by
the fact that some of the persons bitten were treated at the Institut
Pasteur. A comparison of the annual mortality from hydrophobia in France
before and after the introduction of the treatment would afford decisive
evidence as to its efficacy; but unfortunately no such comparison can be
made for lack of vital statistics in that country. The experience of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account