When the Covid-19 outbreak hit our country, I began praying for vaccinations to save lives. Thousands have died from the Covid. We all have had our vaccines for polio and other diseases. Polio is a very contagious and crippling illness. Our generation knew individuals who came in contact with it and were never the same. Jonas Salk invented the vaccine for polio. He gave his family and himself his life saving serum on television.
In the historical novel, THE ADVENTURES OF FRANCIE FITZGERALD, by Victoria Kamar Olivett, the people of Newark and New York City in the 1880’s were afraid of rabies since infected dogs ran wild all hours of the night and day in the area. Francie and her friend, Sean, read in the newspaper that Frederick Herrman Kruger was attacked in New York by a rabid dog. His nose had to be reattached. Weeks later, he could not drink since rabies is also called hydrophobia or fear of water. The disease effects the brain and nervous system which is caused by the bite of an infected animal. He was in pain and had convulsions. Frederick died at the age of 11.
Francie was afraid that her brother, Austin, maybe attacked in the same way since he was always outdoors in the summer. He had some very close calls, but finally he and his friends were bitten by a rabid dog. What Francie feared most, happened. Francie and Sean had discovered that Dr. Louis Pasteur had invented a vaccine that could be administered after a rabid attack.
With the help of their community, Francie accompanied the boys on a ship to France and to Paris and Dr. Pasteur and his life saving serum. The children were saved with the miracle of science.