The New York herald., 1869-02-21
HYDRoPHoBiA.

| Tho Public Exciseuacnt Greundlcss-Assartus
| Declarations from Expcrts-Reliabie Cures
| Sugxcssed-A Curious Thcory About the
Death Of Mr.. Ludlau.
The letters which we publish below win have re-
assuring effect upon the public mind. The recent
deaths which have been ascrlbed TO hydrophooia-
that terrible maady said TO be produced by the pe
| Of dog-have created undue excitement Some have
gone even so ar az suggest tho determination ol
the whole tribe OF dogs swearing eternal war on all
the canine race. Such, after reading the commu-
nicatlons below, may 'lay the nattering JUNCTION
to their souls' that OF genuine hydrophobia
are extremely rare even among the dog species, and
that temporary insanity" ailment SO often sue
cessfuly used In our courts as plea for the justin.
cation Of crime in man, may be produced by moral
as well az physical causes in dogs the same as IN
man, and that which Is far better to know, thore
are certain remedies easy or application, which In
most cases have proved perfect success. Let
therefore, the excitement subside, and keep In mind
that for dogs bite caustic, red hot poker or
| sousng In salt water Is q sure remedy.
| Letter from DIR. Francis Butler-The Causes,
| symptoms, Antldotes and Cures Of Rabies
Gamma.
| To THE EDITOR OF THE HERAlD:-
As there exists IN the public mind much or doubt,
fear and mlsapprehenslon with regard to the causes
Symptoms. preventves and cures OF the so-callcd
| fearful malady, hydrophoha, deem it not amss,
through your kind permission, to tender few re-
marks on the subject for the benefit OF the COM
munty. These l viii condense into four heads
causes symptoms antidotes and cures
FIRST. The causes almost various in the
.genus canis" as IN the genus homo" Among these
would enumerate Indigestion internal distractions
| exposure to the sun and 20 the intense
| heat OF fire, foul meat or undigested matter
purifying in the stomach; mats Of hair. &C., block
Ing the passage TO the main canal splnters Of bone
sticking In the throat stomach intesnes; lack OF
water; sudden rights and perhaps, the most fearful
OF all, the rabies, engendered br the worry and
element, overstraining and exhaustion OF natural
passion, rampant and raving, yet unappeased. Nu-
merous instances oi this have come under my no.
tce, where an overexcited quadruped, distressed IN
nerve body and bone then pelted, driven and con-
sequently half crazcd, has become a prey to the
| cudgel. the brickbat or the gun; while the poor
brute only required rest shade peace and pail OF
| water.
Second. symptoms. The symptoms OF socaled
madness are not always similar. Sometimes sui
lenness Of movement, wild wandering OF the eye,
disordercd appetite, devouring of textile fabrics,
gnawng OF the chain. Dread Of water have never
noticed-rather the reverse. Lockjaw is not uncom-
| mon. producing Unsuitable hunger and consequent
ferocity. Continued costiveness tends to disorder
the whole nervous fabric. Dis,enper often has the
same eject for q season.
Third. The Antidote. Feed the dog moderately on
| wholesome food Give sufficient exercise. Keep
him away from the fire and out N the street alone,
lest the disease be increased by irritation among
| other dogs. Let him have an abundant supply OF
fresh water and 90 not place him where he cannot
| find shade.
Fourth. The Cure There are numerous grades Of
lightheadedness In the canine species, irom the
slight it to the 'raving maniac" The best remedy
is to produce far IA possible thorough and sud-
den change IN the system, by cleansing the stomach
by vonlitives and the bowels with purgatves. In
all cases have found common table salt the most
| speedy and effective with which his mouth should
| be filed. second dose L seldom necessary to pu-
| rlfy the stomach. Saturatng the whole body with
salt, by keeping the animal wholly Immersed In a
fun saltwater solution until he is almost beyond re-
coyery, then terminating by rubbing, win seldom
fal to produce the desired convalescence even in
cases OF severe fits or temporary insanity.
With regard to persons bitten. an immediate ap
plication Of wet salt after sucking out the wound
thoroughly and applying caustic II at hand, or cut
ting out the part, II advisable, keeping the bite
thoroughly saturated for twenty four hours con-
slider excellent remedy. or, II there were cause
enough to warrantiL the patient might De Immersed
system by restoration, after . sousng bordering on
drowning itself. believe this operation might be
as by this treatment have been eminently success
full in curing demented animals themselves. Above
ALL the person bitten should. as much as possible,
| shake on ali foosh excitement and should be dis
couraged by Others to run into any nonsensical
a4e &c sa far petwe.
tells us there was not single case In London last
year.
through the fundamentally OF some innocent ours
mainly Influenced BY their naturally exciable or ex-
dcuded % % Impressions T have Witnessed ~ ss several
cases illustrative OF this fact. One individual, who
was bitten by poor, innocent black and tan puppy,
rabies Immediately aner the occurrence took q
notion that he must go mad, and persisted IN it
raving. Another was bitten by . decidedly, rabid
og but being fully convinced that his pains had no
the dog was not mad, he speedily recov
cred. ] have also known many who
l haar tiafia al ~ m lad
them had been destroyed, which every reasoning
man must know can have no physical influence
| OF these doomed nnocents have had In my posses
sion after the occurrence without ever discovering
| the iantest tant OF alteration or mind.n Never
theless, for the benefit OF those who themselves ar,
eight headed" on this subject, all suspected amman
should he Kept IN place OF perfect security. lie
'Put the gun down. loaded or not loaded, II 1t wer'
TO go OF II might kill body"
Growing dogs and dogs that have been long con
nned beng oyerjoyed with their liberty, are very
liable TO fits, more or less severe. But they bear ne
resemblance TO hydrophobla and need not be
dreaded. Yet, as no foreign substance appears u
| agree with our circulating medium" bites OF al
kinds are better avoided: knew wealthy gentle
| hydrophobia. lie had been bitten fifteen year.
before by his hunting dog perfectly sound animal
the time. However. strange Idea entered his brain.
after long years, that that bite wouid make him nad
| aud the Idea did. not the bite raised pup from
The same dog long after proof positive Of the
| existence Of hydrophoba m his sire.
The majority Of so-cnlied cases Of arDies are easily
| cured ana generally yield 70 powerful doses Of
| common salt have had three cases OF raving mad
| ness In my own kennels. tbut not hydropnobia.
| One valuable siberian blood hound slut, VINO
aroused me m the middle Oi the night, tearing and
| gnawinR the ienccs and bowling most hideously.
| succeeded however lwitnout danger 20 myscln IN
giving her several doses o salt, which caused her 70
| throw on full two ounces Of matted hair whlch
| Afterwards discovered she had gradually devoured
| with ner meat which was constantly thrown into
| her bed when she was shedding her coat. Fifteen
minutes after she was AZ gentle a. ainp and ~ nov
l.ftll tIID
toms, was taken IN the same way. cured him o.
the means his pains were removed after casting
| out an enormous rat which he had swallowed onl,
few hours previously. Another, with precscl,
similar symptoms aud similar treatment, threw up
mass or putrid nesh and was Immediately relieved
Many have cured from the madness Of sunstrokel
by shade retirement and cold water. Yet these have
nothing TO do with hydrophobia, as generally under
stood; but, as before intimated, sfhe antidote u
better than the curc.r Therefore the best safeguard
with suspicious dogs ~ strong chain, staple and
collar until all doubts are set at rest. have been
bitten often enough by hounds with ''nghty iinagi