Joseph Meister The first person to be saved from rabies Date of Birth: 21.02.1876 Country: France

1. The First Rabies Survivor
2. Pasteur's Breakthrough
3. Vaccination and Recovery
4. Meister's Devotion
5. Tragic End

The First Rabies Survivor

In 1885, a nine-year-old boy named Joseph Meister was bitten by a rabid dog. His condition seemed dire, but his mother refused to give up hope and sought the help of renowned scientist Louis Pasteur.

Pasteur's Breakthrough

Pasteur had recently developed a vaccine for rabies in animals, but he lacked a license to treat humans. However, faced with Meister's imminent death, Pasteur made a bold decision to administer the vaccine to the boy.

Vaccination and Recovery

Over the course of 14 days, Meister received increasingly potent doses of the vaccine. Miraculously, he did not develop rabies. Pasteur's successful experiment revolutionized the treatment and prevention of the deadly disease.

Meister's Devotion

Meister's life was forever entwined with Pasteur's. He devoted the rest of his years to working as a caretaker at the Pasteur Institute.

Tragic End

During the Nazi invasion of France, German soldiers demanded that Meister, the last remaining employee at the institute, open Pasteur's tomb. Horrified, Meister chose to end his own life rather than desecrate his mentor's remains. He committed suicide using a revolver left over from World War I.