Rabies is often portrayed as a deadly, fast-moving viral threat — but the historical record tells a far more complicated story. The Learn The Risk article challenges the foundations of modern rabies science by revisiting the work of Louis Pasteur, whose experiments shaped today’s assumptions about the disease.
According to the documented accounts, Pasteur never isolated a rabies virus and could not produce rabies symptoms naturally. His experiments only created neurological collapse when he drilled into animals’ skulls and injected ground-up brain and spinal tissue directly into the brain. Injections through veins or other routes failed or produced inconsistent results. Critics argue this does not demonstrate a contagious virus — only that severe injury to the nervous system causes severe symptoms.
Historical reports also raise questions. Records from the Pasteur Institute list thousands of deaths among people bitten by dogs and treated with Pasteur’s method, while a London hospital documented 2,668 dog-bite patients who received no Pasteur treatment and none developed hydrophobia. These contradictions fuel ongoing debate about how rabies was defined and whether Pasteur’s methods created a narrative that didn’t match natural disease patterns.
The article contrasts Pasteur with Antoine Béchamp, whose “terrain theory” suggested that disease arises from internal imbalance, toxicity, and stress rather than external viral attack. It also argues that conditions like distemper and parvo may reflect toxicity or immune stress rather than viral infection, citing survival data that challenge mainstream assumptions .
What This Means for Illinois Pet Owners
Regardless of where one stands on the historical debate, Illinois law gives pet owners an important protection: medical exemptions for rabies vaccination are allowed.
Under 510 ILCS 5/8(g), a licensed veterinarian may issue a written exemption if a rabies vaccine would endanger an animal’s health. This applies statewide — including Kane County. The exemption must be renewed annually, and owners still pay the county tag fee, but the law clearly recognizes that one-size-fits-all vaccination is not always safe or appropriate.
The Bottom Line
The Learn The Risk article invites readers to question long-held assumptions about rabies and the origins of virology. Whether one fully agrees or not, the historical record shows that the story is not as straightforward as often presented. And for Illinois families, it’s essential to know that the law supports individualized veterinary care — including rabies vaccine exemptions when medically necessary.
For more info: RABIES, LOUIS PASTEUR, AND THE FRAUD THAT BUILT MODERN VIROLOGY 510 ILCS 5/8
