The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-12-16
HOW TO TREAT 1T.


for our columns. 1t eXplodes several pop
ular fallacies concerning the terrible mala-
dy, and sheds much needed light on it's
treatment, which is so little understood:
The virus or poison which propagates
hydrophobia exists in the saliva of the
rabid animal. 1t is not injected through
the tooth into the wound, as is the venom
of the rattlesnake, or as is the venom of
the bee, through the sting. The poison
merely besmears the tooth, as the lancet
is coated with the virus in vaccinating.
There is another very important distin-
gushing fact in regard to its effect on the
wounded part. 1t produces no irritation,
no immediate effect. Like the vaccine
virus, or that of the small pox, it has a
certain period of incubation, or zymotic
process before the system becomes affected.
This period, in the production OF canine
Madness is happily long, as compared
with the period of incubation of other
poisons. The period varies, but it is com
monty about six weeks, and then, before
constitutional disease is developed, slight
irritation occurs in the scar, and red list
of inflamed absorbents is seen extending
up the member. When these phenomena
take place there is no hope the constitu-
tional symptoms follow Immediately. But
if during the long period which precedes
the local symptoms the proper remedies
lie employed, and especially soon after the
bite, the prevention of the disease is almost
certain.
Contrary to the common belief, deep
wound inflicted by the bite is less likely to
be followed by hydrophobia than is slight
scratch, abrading the skin, for reason
that ought to be obvious-the copious ef
fusion of blood washes away the poison.
When persons are bitten through cloth
ing, perhaps two garments, the poison
may he all wiped from the tooth, and the
bite prove innocuous but not certainly.
4 large majority, however, Of those bitten
through clothing escape the disease
These are the cases in which ridiculous
nostrums unfortunately acquire reputation
for preventing the disease, it being gene
rally supposed that the bite of rabid dog
is necessarily followed by hydrophobia,
unless some preventive remedy be en-
ployed, # 81
have been hundred times called upon
by persons bitten by dogs known not to
be rabid, but yet these persons were tor
tured with the apprehension that, should
the dog that inflicted the bite ever go
mad, they would themselves be affected
with hydrophobia. This would be simply
ridiculous, were it not that so many be-
lieve it, A person might as well fear hay
ing small pox who had, five years ago,
shaken hands with man that now has it.
1t is the practical part of this communi-
cation which is important. We cannot
cure this terrible disease, when once de-
veloped. 1t is true that there often occur
III the public prints, and sometimes in
medical journals, notices of cases cured by
certain powerful remedies, such as chloro-
form. atropia, woorara, the cannabis, &c.
But when these remedies have been tried
in other cases they have utterly failed
Remedies acquire false reputation for
the cure of hydrophobia by being employ
ed in spurious cases Of that disease. Ner-
vous persons, who have been bitten by
healthy animals, fancy that they have the
disease, and theyimitate almost every symp-
tom of hydrophobia. They recover, what
ever means may be emplyed. l knew
person in Vermont to be affected by this
false form of hpdrophoba. His son had
recently died of disease, resulting from the
bite of a rabid cat. His father in aiding
10 nurse him received q speck of the boys
saliva upon his lip. From that moment
he became tortured with the apprehension
that he had contracted the disease, though
assured that it could not be thus communi-
Gated. After q short time the symptoms
which he had witnessed in the boy began
10 display themselves. He raved in the
most furious manner, refused water, and
irothed at the mouth When any one Of
the physicians present remarked, by way
of encouragement, that certain symptoms
which marked the former case were absent
the patient would Immediately initiate
those symptoms. The man, however, from
extreme exhaustion, fell into profound
slumber and walked well.
Now in regard to preventive treatment
which is so efficient and therefore of vas
Importance, let it be remembered that {
mere scratch on the hand or face is the
most dangerous-a bite through cloth
ing not without danger AS the poison
adheres to the part for some time after the
bite before it produces the effect, let the
wound be instantly washed, again and
again, with soap and water. fla physi
clan were to vaccinate child in the arm
and an hour after should wash the part will
soap and water, no effect would result.
The following case is in point: A WON
an, the mother of the boy mentioned above
was washing clothes in her back yard
when rabid cat leapt over the fence ant
attacked the boy, clinging to him ant
wounding his hands and face. The moth
or ran to the rescue, seized the cat, tore i
away from the lad, and threw it over tn
fence. She then returned to her work, ant
her hands and arms were immersed in soal
and water for two hours. Nothing wa
done for the boy, it not being known tina
the cat was rabid. The mother escaped
the disease, but the boy persisted miserably
While the washing is being done, sent
instantly to the nearest druggist for piec
Of canstic potash. This comes in small
cylindrical pieces. If the tooth of the do
has penetrated, cut the caustic in the shap
of pencil or dogs tooth, insert it in tn
wound and hold it there firmly for quar-
ter of a minute withoutregar to the pair
Which will be severe
Caustic potash can be made extempor
by pouring boiling water on wood ashes
straining out the ley, and boiling it dow
to the consistence of molasses. 1t may b
applied with smooth stick.
When the wound is scratch, and there
fore the more dangerous, wipe it owe