Among the many doubtful cases brought by the adherents of
M. Pasteur's inoculations to prove that he has discovered a real protection against hydrophobia, we do not know of any in which the symptoms of hydrophobia had been fairly developed before the inoculation was tried. Nor, perhaps, is it reasonable to expect that any protective inoculation could take effect at so late a stage in the progress of the disease. It is certain, however, that Dr. Buisson's vapour-bath cure has succeeded with really decided and very bad cases of hydrophobia; and we have this week a full report of a case in New Jersey, in the United States, which was cured by that method on January 24th last. It was the case of a boy named Klee, at a school of the "Protectory of the Sacred Heart," and is reported in the Sacred Heart Union, of Arlington, New Jersey. The boy was bitten on the hand on January 2nd, while at home for the holidays. The wound healed rapidly, and the boy returned to school apparently in perfect health. On January 22nd he had some violent convulsion fits, and had to be held down by force. He attempted to bite himself and others, growled and barked like a dog ; the pupils were enormously dilated, and his body twitched violently even in sleep. Also, the healed-up wound became inflamed. Dr. Exton saw him on Sunday, January 24th, and had no doubt that the case was one of genuine hydrophobia. He was placed in a vapour-bath, given a dose of a powerful sudorific, jaborandi, and kept in a copious perspiration for half an hour. On Dr. Eaton's next visit, ho found none of the traces of the attack of hydrophobia,—which had steadily increased in violence till the vapour-bath was resorted to. All had disappeared. The history of the case is given and attested by the Bev. James J. Curran, of " The Sacred Heart."
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