1 In ancient times, the disease was often misunderstood. The early Greeks incorrectly believed that a "mad" dog could transmit rabies to other animals but not to humans. Later on, the Romans realized that rabies affected people, but they mistakenly thought it could be cured by holding the ill person's head under water. As a result, rabies victims often died by drowning, but not from the disease itself.
2 In the sixteenth century, the Italian physician Girolamo Fracastoro discovered that rabies was a disease fatal to humans as well as to animals. He called the illness "the incurable wound." Because he was a well-respected doctor and scientist of his day, his views were widely accepted.
3 Finally, in 1881, the well-known scientist Louis Pasteur began searching for a way to cure rabies. He spent countless hours in his laboratory experimenting with different remedies. Then one afternoon in 1885 Pasteur was forced to put his work into action. The parents of a young boy who had been bitten by a rabid dog came to Pasteur's home begging him to save their son.
4 At first, the scientist hesitated to try his untested vaccine on a human being. But after the boy's mother and father pleaded with him, Pasteur agreed. He treated the boy, Joseph Meister, for several weeks. Happily, the vaccine was successful, and young Meister did not contract the disease.
5 Since then, scientists have developed a number of rabies vaccines. Some of the cruder treatments included extremely unpleasant side effects. One rabies vaccine that was commonly used could cause permanent damage to the nervous system. By 1957, a safer vaccine existed, but it was administered in a series of twenty-three painful injections through the abdominal wall. Fortunately, an effective and painless vaccine is available today. It is given through five injections taken over a four-week period.
From RABIES by Elaine Landau, copyright © 1993 by Elaine Landau.
A. an almanac
B. a thesaurus
C. an atlas
D. a dictionary
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
A. an increase in safety
B. fewer side effects
C. the number of shots
D. reduced costs
A. presents factual information.
B. describes a person who was cured of rabies.
C. follows events chronologically.
D. tells about an incurable disease.