Success of Pasteur’s Treatment of Hydrophobia

Originally printed in the American Druggist: A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Practical Pharmacy in September, 1889

At the Academy of Sciences, M. Pasteur recently presented a note of the results observed in the Pasteur Institute from May 1st 1888, to May 1st 1889 (La France Médicale, No. 73). During this period, 1,673 persons bitten by rabid, or presumably (très suspects de rage) rabid dogs had been treated — 1,487 French and 186 foreigners. Of this number — viz., 1,673  — 118 had been bitten in the head or face.  Six persons (4 bitten on the head and 2 on the limbs) had been attacked by rabies during treatment; 4 others were attacked within a fortnight after the close of the treatment; 3 persons bitten on the head had died after the treatment had been completely finished, and these, therefore, represent the total cases of failure, viz., in the ratio of 1 to 557. Or if — “which would be illogical,” adds M. Pasteur — to these 3 cases were to be added the 10 above mentioned, there would still be a mortality of only 1 in 128. — Scient. Amer.