Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-05-26
HYDROPHOBIA.

! lr is no pleasure to dog to 20 mad -
| quite the reverse. Dreadful us hydrophoba
may be to human beings, rabies is worse TO
the dog; 1t makes its approach more grad.
| ualiy' IL lasts longer, and it is more iptenso
~hhe II endures. The dog that is going mad
'ee.9 uh"eli 'or u long time prior to the full
uevelopement Of the disease. .-Heis very m
but he does not know what ais him Ha
feels dissatisfied with everything. vaxoJ
without u reason; and, greatly against bis
petter nature, verysnappish. Feeling thus
ne longs to avoid oil annoyance BY being
alone. This makes him seem strange To those
VINO are most accustomed TO him. The sem
satlon induces him to seek solitude. Brt
there Is another reason which decides b;s
choice OF resting place. The light inHicts
upon him intense agony. The sun is to him
an instrument OF torture, which he therefore
studies to ayoid--for his brain aches. and
ieeis as II II were trembling Jelly. This in.
duces the poor brute to find out the holes and
| corners where he Is least likely tobe noticed,
and INTO which the light is unable TO enter
In solitude and darkness he passes the dav
| III his retreat be discovered, and the master's
| voice bid him come FORTH the aiIectiona,e
creatures countcnance brightens, his tail
| beats the ground, and he leaves his hiding
place, anxious TO obey the loved authority;
out before he has gone half the distance. a
KIND OF sensation comes over him which pro-
duces an instantaneous change in the whole
appearance. He seems 10 say to himself:
"Why cannot You let me alone Go away
Do 60 away! Y ou trouble-pain mer And
thereupon he suddenly turns tail aud darts
back into his dark corner
II let alone, there he will remain perhaps
frothing little at the mouth, and drinking
great deal Of water, but not issuing from
his hiding place to seek after food. His ap.
petites are altered hair, straw, dirt, filth
excremcnt rags, tin shayings, stones, tbs
most noisome and unnatural substances, are
then the delicacies for which the poor dog.
changed by disease, longs and swallows, IN
hopes to ease burning stomach He is
most anxious for liquids. He is now alto.
gether chanCcd.-Still he does not desire 10
bite mankind he rather endeavors to avoid
society; he takes long journeys Of thirty or
forty miles in extent and heightened 10y all
kinds Of accidents, to vent his restless desire
for motion.
When on these journeys he does not walk.
This would be too formal and measured a
pace for an animal whose frame Quivers with
excitement. He does not run. That would
he too great an eXertion for an animal whose
body is the abode of deadly sickness. He
proceeds III slouchng manner, in kind of
trot-a movement neither run nor walk
and his aspect is detected. His eyes do not
glare and stare but they arc dull and retrac.
ted. His appearance is very characteristic,
and, II once seen, can never afterwards be
mistaken. In this state he will travel the
most dusty roads his tongue hanging dry
from his open mouth, from which, however.
there drops no foam. His course is not
straight. How could ii be--since it is doubt
iui whether at this period be sees at all. His
desire is to journey unnoticod. If no ono
notices hun, he gladly passes by them. Hc
is very i'll; he cannot stay to bite. If, never
thc!ess, anything opposes his progress, he
VIII, as if by impulse, snap-as man in a
similar state might strickland tell the per-
son 40 go out Of the way" lie may tako
his road across field in which there are u
flock Of sheep. Could these creatures only
make room for him and stand motionless, tho
dog would pass on and leave them behind
uninjured. But they begin TO run, and al the
sound the dog pricks up his ears. His entire
aspect changes. Rage takes possession of
him. What makes that noise He pursues
it with all the energy of madness. lie flies
at one, then al another. He does not mangle,
nor is his bite, simply considered, terrible.
lie cannot pause to tear the creature he has
caught. lie snaps and then Tushes onward.
TIL, fairly exhausted and unable longer 10 fol-
low, he sinks down and the sheep pass for
ward to be no more molested. lie may have
bitten twenty or thirty in his mad onslaught;
and would have worried more hadh strength
lasted-ior the farore Of madness then had
possession OF him. lie may be slain while on
these excursions but if he escapes, he re-
turns home and seeks the darkness and quiet
of his former abode. His thirst increases,
but with it comes the swelling throat. He
will plunge his head into water SO rayenous
is his desire but not drop of the liquid can
he swallow, though its surface is covered with
bubbles in consequence Of the efforts he
makes TO gulph the smallest quantity. The
throat is enlarged TO that extent which will
permit nothing TO pass. lie is the victim Of
the most horrible Inflammation ofthe stomach.
and the most intense inflammation Of tho
bowels. His state Of suffering is most pitiful.
lie has lost all seli-reliance; even feeling is
gone. He flies at and pulls to pieces any
( thing that is within his reach. One animal
in this condition being confined near fire.
flew at the burning mass, pulled out the live
Goals, and in his fury scrunched them. lio
emits the most hideOus cries. The noise he
makes is incessant and peculiar 1t begins
as a bark, which sound being too torturing
TO be continued, is quickly changed to howl.
which is suddealy cut short the middle and
SO the poor wretch at last falls, fairly worn
out by a terrible disease Mayher's Dogs.