Autographs
Important Historic Medical Content French Scientist Louis Pasteur Isolates a Rabies Vaccine Plus His Personal Notes!
LOUIS PASTEUR (1822-1895). French Chemist and Microbiologist, renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurization.
August 21, 1885-Dated, Superb and Historic Medical Content Autograph Letter Signed, "L. Pasteur," (the first text portion is secretarially written and signed), Authentically Signed upon the lower portion being an addition fully written and Signed by Pasteur on the 2nd page, in French, measuring 5" x 8.25", Choice Extremely Fine. A wonderful important Scientific Content Letter dictated from Pasteur, after which he has personally penned a touching Handwritten statement to his children (at the conclusion of a long secretarial written introductory portion). Translated to English it reads, in full:

“My dear President and eminent Colleague: --- I am very touched by your proposition. I would find it very pleasant to owe the office of Representative to electors, some of whom have implemented from the results of my studies. However, I am afraid of politics and I have declined any candidacy in the Jura in the past and refused to run for the Senate this year. I would perhaps allow myself to be tempted if I did not have the energy to do laboratory work any longer. I still hope to be up to the task of doing some research and, as soon as I return to Paris, I will have to organize a service to combat rabies, which will fully absorb me for some time. I have in my possession a very advanced method of prophylaxis for this terrible malady, a method that is safe for both humans and dogs, and your region, which is sorely tested every year, will be the first to benefit from it. Before I left for the Jura, I dared to treat a first little 9 year old boy, whose mother brought him to me from Alsace where, on July 4, he had been bitten knocked down and bitten in both thighs, lower legs, and hand, under such conditions that rabies was inevitable. His health is still perfect. -- (Secretarial signature) “L. Pasteur”

Louis Pasteur then himself beautifully pens and Signs the following, reading, in full:

"Thank you, my dear children, far all of your holiday greetings and wishes for my good health. I have great need of those. I am getting quite, quite old, despite what they say. Fernand really let us down. He doesn't have anything to do for the laboratory in September and I gave him his leave as of the evening of August 19th. Big hugs and kisses, - (Signed) L. Pasteur.”

(Postscript he adds:) “The news you give me about your [?] delights me. What an animal that [?] is --.”

This 2-page Letter upon which Pasteur has written the above statement is especially medically important to science and interesting. Most likely dictated to his secretary, this Letter concerns his possible entry into French politics, as well as his recent pioneering work on rabies. Although not a rampant disease by any measure (in France, it claimed just 300 deaths a year), rabies could be properly controlled with quarantine regulations and animal control. However, Pasteur had horrifying childhood memories of the disease, which perhaps may have led him to seek a vaccination. He had never forgotten the terrible scene when a rabid wolf charged through town, biting men and beasts on the way; young Louis had even seen one of the victims cauterized with a red-hot iron at the blacksmith's shop near his father's house. The persons who had been bitten on the hands and head succumbed to hydrophobia, some of them with horrible suffering.

There were eight victims in the immediate neighborhood of Arbois, and for years the whole region lived in fear of the mad wolf. Childhood memories notwithstanding, the animal-borne disease had long had a firm hold on public imagination, and was the epitome of terror and mystery. It was therefore well-suited to satisfy Pasteur's longing for romantic problems. After an arduous course of isolation of the pathogen and the development of stronger strains, Pasteur finally created a successful vaccine for animals, which was even effective in advanced stages of incubation - nearly a cure.

On July 7, 1885, just one and a half years after beginning the study, and only a few weeks prior to the date of this very Letter, Pasteur inoculated his first human patient with the vaccine, a nine-year-old boy Joseph Meister, who he indeed mentions in this Letter. That boy had been bitten by a rabid dog. The youngster then never contracted the disease, and Pasteur was once again hailed a hero throughout Europe. Joseph Meister later became gatekeeper of the Pasteur Institute, which post he held until 1940 when he committed suicide to escape being compelled to open for the German invaders the crypt where Pasteur is buried.