The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-10-16 00:00:00

HYDROPHOBIA'

Mr. Humphry Sandwith of Liwynyworinerood Park,
LI a 11,1,1,1 y. writes the following letter to the morning Star :
A great deal of nonsense is being written about this
truly horrible disease, and some of it is too mischievous
to be allowed to 1,1183 unrebuked.
Allow we first to call attention to the obvious confu-
sii li by y our correspondents of a cure and a preventive.
There is no cure for hydrophobia, and there is but one
tires entive, and that is some, or indeed any form of
caustic. If I were bitten by any dog, I would at once
apply lunar caustic freely and deeply to the wound. If
none were at hand, a red-hot knitting needle or blade
of a knife would do equally well, and the efficiency of
this would depend on the promptitude of the applica-
tion.
I need not say that even this is not a sure preven-
tive, as the action of animal poison inoculated is rapid
and subtle, and the activity of the absorbents fir
vessels which convey the poison into the system)
varies in different individuals, and in different states
of the system. Moreover, the bites of a rabid
animal may be numerous, and inflicted in parts of
the body difficult to cauterise.
Certain rare c tees of the cure of hydrophobia have
been recorded, but it is doubtful whether these Mies
were genuine. The unfortunate man who is bitten,
especially if of nervous temperament, may easily ima-
gine symptoms of the disease.
Be it remembered that out of a certain number of
bitten people a considerable percentage escape the
disease; either the virus has been intercepted by
clothing, or the system has been able to throw it off.
It is probable that most if not all of these patients
have taken some antidote, si me absurd conceictton like
that offered most henry. ilently, and with the best in-
tentiona, by Mr. Alired Field, in your paper of the
6th; hence the reputation of the antidote. "Post hoc,
ergo propter hoc," is the foundation of all such specifics.
A decoction of
MR. HENRY VINCENT ON EMIGRA- .. Eye of newt and toe of frog,
TION TO AMERICA. Wool of bat and tongue of dog,"
A few days ago Me Henry Vincent delivered an address on would be quite as efficacious as any antidote hitherto
hia recent slit to America to the Young Men's Mutual In,- Published.
provement Society, in connection with the Camden road lam surprised that no authoritative letter should
hapmst Chapel, London In the couree of his address, Mr, have hitherto appeared from some distinguished man on
Vincent referred 15 the following humorous manner to the this subject, an a corrective to the errors propagated by
subject of emigration :-
revert before I some of your well-meaning correspondents.
There is tine point to which I would reve ore
conclude; it is, who are the sight people to emigrate As I left the medical profession many years ago lam
to such a country. (Hear, hear.) That merchants open to conviction if my knowledge on the subject is
not up to the mark of modern silence, and I shall be
and young men going out will find a difficulty in ob.
taming employment is not to be wondered at, because sincerely glad to be corrected by anyone with later and
there is in America, as there is in England, great better knowledge, for I now write with much diffidence
commercial depression. But such • man will find on professional matters.
this advantage. If he should have a family of
sixteen children, there is a better chance of Another correspondent writes
those sixteen sixteen children getting on in the Nest I have attended seven cases of hydrophobia. I have
than in the Old World. But the men who can better seen two horses and a cow that died from having been
themselves by emigration to America are skilled bitten by a mad dog. I have made extensive inquiries
mechanics—men who can turn their hands to anything. on the subject, and the result of soy experience and
Take, for instance, a carpenter. He must nut say, "I inquiries is a firm conviction that never yet has a
was brought up in the old country to do a particular single case of hydrophobia been cured after its peculiar
kind of job," but he must be able to screw together symptoms had once developed thentselves. Few
wooden houses, to paper, whitewash, varnish, tile, diseases have been attended with so many infallible
pick and put on locks, and many other little things. remedies. Eighty years ago "the Orteskirk cure for
Let him—and this is an indispensable requisite if he the bite of a mad dog" was never known to fail.
wishes to get on—marry a young, pretty wife a girl Afterwards, "the Tanjore snake pill" was equally
with red arms—(laughter)—• girl who is not adverse te successful. Some time ago the discovery was made that
work, who can cook fairly, and take care of his and her before the symptoms showed themselves the gland
home properly. Let him buy a good basket of tools, under the tongue became enlarged, that all the vitll4
let him half starve himself for a couple of years to nave was concentrated in it. and that by removing it the
up sufficient to pay his passage. Let him, I say, do attack might always be prevented. Many years ago a
all this. Let him ctime with only his wife and his huntsman in a northern county was said to make
basket of tools to the New World, and if he will not £3llO a year by selling his specific for the bite of a mad
stay more than one night in New York, but will push I dog. Infallible remedies are constantly cropping up.
on NYest—l care not where—by the very first emigrant How comes it, then, that there should be no many in.
train, and settle within a few miles of a railway fallible remedies for the cure of hydrophobia if it has
\
station, in a place which his good sense will tell him is really never been cured? Perhapsthe following ex.
bound to increase, he will stand a fair chance of planation may account for it. It is supposed not
MUUCCIIB. (Heim., hear.) Then, if he is a sensible man more than one in twenty of those who are bitten take
he will sally folth the next morning in search of work, the disease. If the part bitten is covered with clothing,
fie will in all probability see a man hard at work in the virus may be wiped off the dog's tooth ; if not
his line. He will approach him : 'Mate, I see you covered, it will probably bleed, and the blood coming
hard at work, and got none to help you; can I lend out may prevent the virus from g amg in. When a
you a hand ?" To which the American will reply: person is vaccinated, if the arm be made to bleed, it is
'• Wall, stranger, I don't want no help, because I can't seldom that the matter will take effect. If, then
afford to pay for it." "Then, if the emigrant is a only one in twenty take the disease, the remedies
sensible man. he will say : " Never mind about the administered to the other nineteen would often hay
pay ; I'd sooner work for nothing than do nothing." got the credit of having cured them, though in reality
The American will accept the help, and if you they would never have been affected. Some people
work hard and well thronghout the day, he will doubt- fancy that hydrophobia is not caused by the virus
lens say at its close : "Well, man, has thee a wife?" of the mad dog, but that it in merely the effect of
"Yea, I have—as good a one as ever lived, lodging in fright on • timid person who has been bitten. This
the town." And the man will hand his helper a is quite a mistake. In the first case maw, the patient
dollar, not ostensibly for his work, but for the "little positively denied that he had ever been bitten,
wife." And the man will be able to go home and say: and, indeed, he never had. He had, however,
"Here's enough for potatoes and bread and milk for fondled a dog that was mad, and, being a
a day, and I shall be out again in the morning." Do stonemason, it is probable the skin of his hand
this for a week, and mon. it will be noised abroad i wee abraded, and thus the virus would be more

that