The Evansville daily journal., 1859-09-29
IConrm,rnicafed.
EVANSVILLE, Sept. 26, 1859.

! EVANSVILLE, Sept. 26, 1859.
Nh. EDIroR:-Dear Sir:-Your CORES
pondent of yesterday appearsto to know but
little respecting hydrophobia. Isshall,
therefore, for his benefit and that of the
community, give a description of the NAL
ady:
Since prevention is better than cure, it is
very desirable that every man should know
the symptoms of rabies in the dog. These,
according to Mr.. Youatt, are unusual sullen-
ness, fidgetting, and continual shifting of
posture. The dog retreats to his basket or
bed for several hours, where he lies curled
up, with his face buried between his paws.
Then he becomes fidgetty, continually
changing his resting place appears clouded
and suspicious in his countenance, and
gazes strangely about him rs he lies on his
bed. A peculiar delirium is also an early
symptom; the dog springing up and giving
an angry bark at some imaginary object
81 have, again and again." says Mr.. Youatt,
"seen the rabid dog start up, after mo-
mentary quietude, with unrningled fe-
rocity depicted on his countenance, and
plunge with savage howl to the further
end of his chain; but ii his master speaks
to him, every fancied object OF terror dis
appears, and he crawls towards him, with his
usual expression of attachment. Then
comes moments pause-a moment of ac-
tual vacuity; the eye slowly closes, the
head droops, and he seems as if his fore feet
would give way and he would fall but he
springs up again, every object of terror once
more surrounds him, he gazes wildly
around, he snaps, he barks, and he rushes
again to the end of his chain TO meet his
imaginary foe"
The amount of ierocity displayed by rab-
id dogs, varies extremely. Some there are
whose fury knows no bounds, and who, if
loose, rush out, biting every man and beast
in their way. Others, on the contrary, not
only cannot be made to bite, but in the
very earliest stage of the disease, show an
increased fondness, and are perpetually try
ing to lick their owners hands and face
Another early and constant symptom of
rabies, is change of voice; every sound ut
tered by a rabid dog, says Mr.. Youatt, is
more or less changed. But there are two
sounds in particular that deserve notice; one
of which is a hoarse inward bark, with a
slight elevation Of tone, and the other, a
most peculiar and characteristic combina-
ton of ia perfect bark" ending abruptly
and very singularly in howl, fifth, sixth,
or eighth higher than the commencement.
| Other symptoms, observed at the COM
mencement of the disease, are loss of appe-
tite, propensity to lick cold surfaces, such as
stones or iron, and to devour straws, litter,
and similar rubbish.
There is no dread Of rater, as in the hui
man being; on the. contrary an Unsuitable
thirst, which the dog endeavors to allay by
tapping as long as he has power over his
jaws. The mouth is dry, and the saliva
exceedingly viseid; at first, perhaps, it is
slightly increased in quantity, and the Sc
cretion becomes extremely viscid and scanty,
sticking TO the corners Of the mouth, and
annoying the poor dog extremely, who may
be seen fighting with his paws at the cor
ners of his mouth, as if trying to dislodge
some bone which had stuck between his
teeth. The (post mortem) appearances show
merely inflammation of the respiratory and
alimentary surfaces, and it is not known
} whether the saliva is the poisonous agent,
or whether some poisonous matter may be
secreted by the mouth, fauces, or lungs and
! mixed with it. Again, it is uncertain
whether the whole solids and fluids of the
animal are not poisonous also, and when
We consider that poison introduced into the
blood, may find its way all over the body
in an inconcevably short space Of time,
) (probably nine seconds it will be readily
seen that excision or cauterization, although
performed as soon rs possible, may lie of no
avail; or whether like the plague or small
> pox, it will run its course, without the pos
sibility of checking il. Mr.. Youatt says
that he believes he has occasionally prevent
ed it in the dog, and that he has occasional
ly seen a case of spontaneous recovery
but that he has never cured it. But al
though it cannot be denied that few cases
have recovered-still as the remedies that
/
!, were supposed to be. successful in thess
cases, have been used again and again in
: others without benefit the recoveries must
fairly be considered accidental and sponta
neous. GIL.
am Sir, respectfully sas
a atsf. j. MAGEySIss, NJ. ID.