The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-10-01
Communicated.

;uDJect, especially, Slnce ap*tgohlStic views
have been put forth, on apparently good au>
Ihority. We believe that on q question of
this kind, the duty of the philanthropist is
not to attempt either TO promote an unnec-
essary alarm, or to lull the public by false
security; but rather to elicit the truth, and
trust the good sense of the community,
with the result. With this view, then, we
will briefly notice the several articles pub
lished within the last few days, on what is
known as Hydrophobia; which is
in technical language, more properly des-
ignated as Leyssa, or Rabies; hydropho-
bia, Tor water-dread), being asymptom, and
by no means constant one.
In the first place, an anonymous article
in the Journal, written, rs the ed
itor states, by an intelligent physician,
taking strong grounds against the opinion,
that Sheriff Gavitts dog was afflicted by
rabies. The arguments of this article were
certainly rather meagre, amounting to little
more than the assertion, that it could not
be case of canine madness, in the absence
of the arater dread. ...-...
In the next place, we have a communi-
cation from Or. MAeENNIss, wen got up,
adducing the best authority the case ad-
mits OF, (Youatt,) to prove, that the symp-
toms, and post norton appearances of the
animal alluded to, point unequivocally to
rabies. In this article the points are well
made, and the arguments clear.
Finally, we have the communication of
Drs. De Bruler, Pennington, and Casselbury,
taking the same ground as Magenniss, adj
ducing additional professional authority, and
arriving at the absolute conclusion that the
dog was mad.
We think, however, that an impartial and
rational view of the facts of the case, will
lead the honest enquirer after the truth, to q
less positive decision. The symptoms of
rabies, whether in man or quadruped, like
those of most other diseases, are, at least,
many of them, equivocal. Some essential
symptoms may be absent in genuine case
of rabies, while any of the symptoms of this
| disease, may be present in certain cases, and
| yet the disease not be rabies. Even the dread
of water, which has been sufficiently remark
able, to characterize the disease in the minds
of the unprofessional public, may be entirely
absent in madness, and yet present in any
inhammatory, or spasmodic disease of the
throat, in which swallowing is difficult, or
painful. The same remark applies to am
nexia, or the refusal of the ordinary food
So the swallowing Of rubbish, or indigestible
articles in place of food, may arise from an
effort to satisfy the cravings of hunger, when
the swallowing of ordinary drink or food
would be attended with greater pain. II
would be just as reasonable to assert that
the swallowing of chalk, or mortar, or piece:
of brick, by chloratic female, proved the
existence of hydrophobia, as TO assert the
same thing in reference 10 dog, suffering
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uraI cravings of the stomach.
| IL must be borne in mind that this dog
had been greatly abused-had been bitter
by dogs-had been kicked by horse, ant
finally had been shot. Was it unreason.
able then, that strong manifestations of dis
ease SHOULD be apparent. BY no means
and it becomes an important question
whether these accidents alone, are not suili-
cient to account for the symptoms. One may
say they are sufficient, another that they ar,
inadequate, and neither party be charge
BILE with gross ignorance. ss.
In the case before us, the symptoms o
madness consisted of great resilessness,
disposition to bite everything, slight spasms
the swallowing of pieces of blanket, straw
wood and feathers the spasms aud drea,
of water, however, being too slight TO rel.
upon as symptoms. The signs that con
tra-indicated the presence of the disease
were, the dog constantly obeying the vote
Of his master TO the last. the absence o
slayering, and his having received injurie
sufficient TO measurably account for the ex
listing symptoms to which may he added
the entire absence of the disease in thi
vicinity. ..-ettAto~ -ts#
In view of such conflicting symptoms
how shall we arrive alta positive conclusion
We are free to say, it cannot be done. W
are willing TO admit, however, that tn
probabilities are in favor of the view tia
the dog was really mad. But, while W
believe il would be the safer course.for Tn
community to act with all the precaution
requisite, if the dog were proved clearl
rabid, we insist that there are some remain
ing doubts, of this being truly the case.
= G. b. WALKER,
Jyo. T. WALKER.
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