Studies on the local treatment of wounds for the prevention of rabies.

This paper reports on laboratory studies made in guinea-pigs on puncture wounds infected with fixed rabies virus and treated one hour later with various substances, the purpose being to review the experience of previous workers and to explore new approaches to the problem of local treatment of wounds inflicted by rabid animals.AMONG THE MEASURES AFFORDING GREATER OR LESSER PROTECTION WERE: nitric acid cauterization; direct application of benzalkonium chloride to the wound or its infiltration, as well as that of methylbenzethonium chloride, proximal to the wound; repeated swabbing and flushing with 20% soap solution or benzalkonium chloride; local inoculation of procaine anaesthetics; infiltration of the leg wound, or inoculation of the opposite leg, with antirabies gamma-globulin; and infiltration of the wound with interferon prepared in guinea-pig tissue cultures.Protection was not afforded by flushing with 20% soap solution alone; topical application of aqueous or tincture preparations of iodine or thiomersal; inoculation of phenoxybenzamine, physostigmine or diphenhydramine hydrochloride; or infiltration of the wound with interferon prepared on monkey kidney tissue cultures.The authors conclude that, at the present time, very vigorous cleansing of the wound with 20% soap solution or 2% benzalkonium chloride, local infiltration of the wound with antirabies serum and-to minimize pain-the use of procaine in saline are indicated in the local treatment of wounds for the prevention of rabies.