Louis PASTEUR Autographed Letter Signed Diseases of anthrax and rabies

  

Louis PASTEUR - Signed autograph letter - Research on anthrax and rabies. Pioneer of microbiology, he notably developed the vaccine against rabies. Important signed autograph letter addressed to Mr. Lepetit-Dullfus, Paris, August 26, 1858, dimensions: 15 x 13 cm.

Slight tear at the upper edge of the letter. Autograph fragment from Pasteur on the preserved envelope. Letter addressed to chemists from Basel, Robert Lepetit and Albert Dullfus, who produced chemical compounds. Pasteur's work led many scientists internationally to take an interest in it. The letter explains Pasteur's research on anthrax and rabies. He relied on an experiment he had developed on anthrax to develop his vaccine against rabies, by injecting an attenuated virus into an animal's body, which leads to the production of antibodies against the disease. As early as 1858, Pasteur studied and conducted research on anthrax and rabies and pointed out to Lepetit and Dullfus that the technique used in Russia, which is to raise the temperature - rabies does not survive at a temperature above 38° - is inconclusive because fever can kill the patient - "there is either recovery or death"; But he indicates that he continues his research on these two diseases, which will finally be successful around 1880.

] I thank you for your kind letter; the method you have conceived to cure rabies, which apparently has also occurred to various people, is already being used in Russia. A distinguished writer who has long lived in this country wrote to me recently about it, adding, however, that there are two possibilities: recovery or death. It is indeed very difficult to raise the temperature of the human body and most animals. I have conducted and am still conducting numerous experiments on this subject regarding anthrax.