In 1881, Dr. Louis Pasteur decided to show people how vaccines work. He prepared two groups of animals, which were mostly sheep, for the experiment. He gave one group his vaccine against anthrax which was killing many of the livestock in the area. Even people can catch anthrax spores from the diseased animals and die. Thirty days later both groups were injected with live anthrax bacteria. You guessed it! All the vaccinated group survived and the non vaccinated group all died.
Dr. Pasteur proved that vaccines do their job. He knew first hand the tragedy of disease. He lost his beautiful baby daughter Camille at two years old and his daughter Jeanne died of typhoid as well. He worked diligently for a cure for typhoid but the microscopes in those days were not strong enough to discover those germs.
He dedicated his life for the well being of others. I know Francie Fitzgerald was very grateful that her brother Austin and his friends were saved by the rabies serum developed by Dr. Louis Pasteur. In the historical novel THE ADVENTURES OF FRANCIE FITZGERALD, those in the Fitzgerald family were very thankful for the great man’s many cures.
Loved reading your book, Victoria, and following Francie’s adventures. It is so timely to learn about Dr. Pasteur, and his discovery of a vaccine for rabies! Hope to see a sequel and learn what is in store for Francie in the future.
Thank you Peggy for your wonderful words about my Blog for THE ADVENTURES OF FRANCIE FITZGERALD by Victoria Kamar Olivett. It was so nice to here your comments. The book is very timely with all the things happening with Covid in the world today.
I am one of the great granddaughters of Austin Fitzgerald. I discovered this page and your historical novel, THE ADVENTURES OF FRANCIE FITZGERALD, looking up information to share with my daughter regarding my great grandfather’s experience in receiving one of the first rabies vaccines from Dr. Pasteur. I can not wait to read it !
Colleen it was so thrilling for me to see your article about your great grandfather, Austin Fitzgerald. Discovering his courage to travel to Paris, France and Dr. Louis Pasteur’s life saving serum after being attacked by a rabid dog in Newark, New Jersey must have been a great thrill. I saw a picture of him and the other Newark boys who were attacked in 1885. I thought this this event would make a great historical novel. His sister Francie became an important character in the book. I also included their Irish heritage in the story as well. The novel shows great love, faith, and perseverance that you should be very proud of.