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Of the Healing Art to Remind Us of All Such Days. in There Were Only

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Of the Healing Art to Remind Us of All Such Days. in There Were Only look as influenced by Pasteur's work. From 1886 to 1914 the world's record of death from rabies after antirabic treatment has been kept down to less than 1 per cent. Högyes has collected statistics for 54,620 persons treated at twenty-four institutes with a mor¬ tality of only 0.77 per cent. Bernstein's figures include 104,347 patients with a mortality of 0.54 per cent. Surely these figures tell a victory against death in a way that puts the inhuman warfare of civilized nations in a sad light in comparison with this record, the fruits of one man's genius as a human benefactor. At this eventful anniversary we may recall the words of the chairman of the French Academy of Sciences when he arose to speak at the gathering before which A THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY\p=m-\PASTEUR Pasteur had described his first success in the treatment AND RABIES of rabies in man. "The date of the present meeting," he "will remain for ever memorable in July 4, 1885, Joseph Meister, an Alsatian boy 9 said, the history of medicine and for French science for it is years of age, was severely bitten by a rabid dog. This glorious ; that of one of the ever in was the first human patient on whom, July 6, 1885, greatest steps accomplished Louis Pasteur used the treatment for rabies the medical order of things a progress realized by protective — the of an efficacious means of which he had proved on animals. In a delightful little discovery preventive volume entitled "Pasteur and After Pasteur," Stephen treatment for a disease the incurable nature of which was a handed down one to another. Paget has well said that there ought to be a calendar legacy by century From this is armed with a means of of the healing art to remind us of all such days. In day, humanity the fatal disease of and of these turbulent times when men and nations are gain- fighting hydrophobia pre¬ It ing everlasting reputations in the death-dealing art, venting its onset. is to M. Pasteur that we owe this, and we could not feel too much admiration or too much when the names of great generals and brave admirals for the efforts on his are on the lips of old and young alike, it is fitting gratitude part which have led to such a result." later that we should recall the glory of those who have suc- magnificent Thirty years these achievements have lost of their ceeded in the beneficent work of rescue and in pre- nothing original serving rather than destroying life. splendor. The story of Pasteur's great accomplishment in effecting the cure of rabies is fascinating in its details. THE PRESIDENT-ELECT By September, 1884, he had attained the last step of In connection with the celebration of the opening of his method: he had proved that he could prevent the the Panama Canal, it was fitting that Surgeon-General disease in dogs already bitten. Then came the crucial Rupert Blue of the Public Health Service should be test on man, which event took place thirty years ago elected to the highest office within the gift of the next Tuesday. Association at the San Francisco session. The atten- Pasteur's original method is still observed in essence tion being given to improvement of the public health if not in details in many parts of the world. Pasteur renders significant the selection at this time of a public institutes devoted to the treatment of rabies are found health officer. General Blue represents an arm of the in every civilized country. There are more than sixty federal government which is in reality a part of the of these antirabic clinics now in operation, the original medical profession; there is indication, therefore, that Pasteur Institute of Paris having been opened in 1888. the ideals of the profession as voiced by the Associa- What they have meant to humanity is best appreci¬ tion will be advanced. There is indication also that ated by comparing the prognosis of the past with the public health work will receive a more active impetus, accomplishments of Pasteur treatment. When the and that the profession will assume in greater degree infected wounds are promptly cauterized, the protec¬ its responsibilities in respect to public health work and tion may be great. Usually this help is of little or no claim its inheritance in this field \p=m-\in other words, avail when the bites are multiple and lacerated; and that preventive medicine will become even a more when they are about the face and head, thorough cau¬ active function of the Association than it has been in terization is difficult or impossible. The statistics of the past. Proust show that in a series of 117 cases which were Born in North Carolina, Dr. Blue was educated at not cauterized, there were ninety-six deaths ; whereas the University of Virginia, and received his medical there were only eighty-nine deaths among 249 cases in degree from the University of Maryland in 1892. which cauterization was practiced. Let us contrast Immediately thereafter he entered the U. S. Public with these statistics of two generations ago the out- Health Service as intern, and became assistant sur- Downloaded From: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/ by a Florida International University Medical Library User on 05/31/2015 geon in 1893, passed assistant surgeon in 1897, sur¬ that territory, with the object of guarding against the geon in 1909, and surgeon-general in January, 1912. introduction of yellow fever and malaria after the During this time, he was stationed at Baltimore, Gal- opening of the Panama Canal. It was from this duty veston, Charleston, San Francisco, Portland, Ore., that he was called to become the chief of his service. Milwaukee, New York, Norfolk and New Orleans, Perhaps the most significant achievement of Dr. having been assigned to hospital, quarantine and other Blue's career, however, has been the remarkable devel¬ public health duty, all of which has fitted him for the opment of public health work under his direction, espe¬ high office which he now holds in the government, and cially as relates to scientific research. Public health which enables him to foresee the great work ahead and education by the federal government is important, but the part the medical profession should play in it. the conduct of investigations along broad lines, and Dr. Blue was sent to Italy by the president when continuously followed, is by all odds the most impor¬ cholera threatened our shores in 1900. In 1905, he tant function of the federal government in matters was second in com¬ affecting the pub¬ mand of the mea¬ lic health. These he sures taken in New has encouraged, as Orleans and vicinity is evidenced by the to eradicate yellow many lines of new fever. In 1903, and work undertaken in again in 1907, he the recent past. was placed in charge Some of this work of plague-eradicative has been done in co¬ measures in Cali¬ operation with other fornia, and handled branches of the gov¬ a difficult situation ernment, and a cor¬ with the result not dial system of coop¬ only that the disease eration seems to be was controlled, but one of the means also that all interests taken now to ad¬ in the state were har¬ vance public health monized. The last- work on the part of mentioned is perhaps the government. the most important In no country, per¬ single work he has haps, is there a lar¬ performed, and dur¬ ger or better public ing its conduct he health organization advanced and pro\'ed than in our own ; but the principle that under present aus¬ rat proofing is the pices it may be ex¬ essential means nec¬ pected that this ser¬ essary to prevent vice will enlarge and plague in urban com¬ become a govern¬ munities. As a re¬ mental branch sec¬ sult of the enforce¬ ond to none, and ful¬ ment of rat President-Elect Surgeon-General Rupert Blue fil the ideals which proofing, (Courtesy of Clinedinst, Washington, D. C.) he has demonstrated have been held by that the eradication of plague is entirely practicable, the profession and the American Medical Association and, in consequence, that cities may be kept free from for more than a quarter of a century. the disease. As director of sanitation of the Jamestown exposi¬ tion, Dr. Blue had practical experience in the reduc¬ THE WAR AND PRACTICAL DIETETICS tion of mosquito-breeding areas to prevent malaria. That "necessity is the mother of invention" is illus- This work was in line with his interest in tropical trated by a multitude of surprising instances from the diseases, which interest was later responsible for chapters of history. The present European war and his making a special study of those diseases at the situations which it is creating have brought fresh the London School of Tropical Medicine, and for evidence of the compulsory adaptation of new devices his assignment as adviser to the governor of Hawaii and the enforced acceptance of previously undesired for the reduction of mosquito-breeding areas in methods. One might well expect this in the domain of Downloaded From: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/ by a Florida International University Medical Library User on 05/31/2015.
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