SELECTED ARTICLES

                                ANTI-RABIES IMMUNIZATION.

         VALUE OF KILLED CARBOLISED VIRUS IN CASES OF WOLF-BITE.

                                                           BY

                              G. STUART, O.B.E., M.A., M.D., D.P.H.,

                                                          AND

                                          K. S. KRIKORIAN, M.D.

     From the Central Laboratories, Department of Health, Government of Palestine.

(Reprinted from the Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume XXV,
                                                 No. 1, 30th June 1931.)

In the evaluation of any method of anti-rabies immunization the influence on
statistical results of the nature of the biting animal cannot be disregarded, ranking
in importance as it does with virulence of local virus, severity of wounding, degree
of exposure to risk, duration and mode of treatment, lateness of arrival at an insti-
tute and the constitution of the attending population. The dog undoubtedly
plays the chief role in the infection of man with rabies, but transmission is fre-
quently effected by others of the Cynoidea, viz., wolf, fox, jackal and hyena; of
all animals, however, wolves are, in this connection, mostly to be feared, for, on
account of the greater severity of their wounding, they cause a proportionately
higher incidence of hydrophobia among the bitten and that too despite intensifica-
tion of treatment. It seems probable that in the case of dog-bites the benefit
derived from Pasteurian treatment is generally an overstatement and no agree-
ment here is ever likely to be reached ; with regard to wolf-bites and the value
of treatment, however, less misconception exists and the position is adequately
reviewed by BABES (1912). First it has to be noted that, while at least 50 per
cent. of dog-bites are inflicted by non-rabid animals, wounding of human beings
by healthy wolves is altogether exceptional; indeed any wolf which suddenly
appears in an inhabited area and makes an unprovoked attack on man and domes-
tic animals alike is to be regarded as definitely rabid. Secondly the percentage
mortality among persons bitten by mad wolves is generally accepted as being over
60 and as high as 90 when severe head injuries have been sustained. The effect of

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