as those who have had any experience of cases of
anthrax know full well alcoholics, whether acute or chronic,
manifest a remarkable susceptibility both as regards attacks of
anthrax and the fatality of the disease when once contracted.
Further as clinical proof of the correctness of another of these
sets of experiments, Dr. Delearde instances two cases of rabies
which have come under observation in the Institut Pasteur--one,
a man of 30 years of age, of intemperate habits who after a
complete treatment of 18 days after a bite in the hand died of
hydrophobia; the other, a child of 13 years who was bitten on
the face by the same dog that had attacked the other patient,
and on the same day--who underwent the same treatment remained
perfectly well. In this case the more severe bite (the face
being the most serious position in which a person can be bitten)
was received by the child; indeed the intemperate habits of the
man, who even took alcohol during treatment, appear to have been
the only more serious factor in his case as compared with that
of the child.

"From all this Dr. Delearde draws the practical conclusion that
patients who have been bitten by a mad dog should as far as
possible abstain from the use of alcohol not only during the
process of treatment, but also for some time afterwards, even
for a period of eight months, during which period, apparently,
increase of immunity may be going on. Beyond this he maintains
that doctors often commit a grave error in administering strong
doses of alcohol to patients suffering from certain infectious
diseases such as pneumonia, or from certain intoxications such
as those produced by snake-bite, during which an increase in the
number of leucocytes appear to be a necessary part of any
process that leads to the cure of the patient. Finally, he
points out how necessary it is that we should respect the
integrity of the leucocytes in the presence of microbic
infections or intoxications. We may accept these statements all
the more readily as Dr. Delearde states that 'although we must
recognize that small doses of dilute alcoholic beverages are
indicated in certain cases where it is necessary to stimulate
the nervous system, one must guard oneself against an abuse
which may certainly be prejudicial to the putting into operation
of