Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-01-05
lEoNARrrowN ND THURSDAY MORNING. 1Nu,RY5 y7

ycus persons, who have been bitten b.
healihy animals. fancy that they have tn,
dlsease, aud they initiate almost ever,
gmpsom Of hydrophobia. They re
eoyer. whatever means may be employed
knew a person in Vermont 20 be afEectcs
by this false form of hylrophobia. Hi
son had recently died of the disease. r.
milling from the bite OF rabid cat. HI
father, in aiding to nurse him, received
Ispcc of the boys saliva upon his lip
rom that sicm mt he became torturcS
E1h The eapprshcnsivns that he had con
- disease. though assured shx
II could not be thus coisirinaicatsd Al
ter short time The symptoms which h
had Witnessed in the boy began to dis
play themselves. He ravcd in the mos
furious manner, refused water, and fro,h
ed A. the mouth When any one os til,
physicians present. remarked. by way Q
encnura cement. TINT certain symptom.
which marked the former case were ah
sent. the patient would immediately imi
tate those symptoms. The man. howcy.
er, from extreme exhaustion, fl into :
profound slumhcr and walked we'll.
Now in regard to preventive treatment
which is 81 Efficient, ani therefore of vas,
Importance, let il BE remembered that :
mere scratch on the hand or face is the
most dangcrous-a bite through the cloth.
ing not without danger. As the poison
adhcres to the part for somc time afr
the bite before it produces the effect, lc;
The wound be instantly washed, again and
again, with soap and water II phys
ieian were 10 vaccinate a child in the arm,
and an hour after should wash the par;
with soap and water, no effect would re-
suit.
The following case is in point: \ wo.
man, the mother Of the boy mentioned
above, was waShin" clothes in her bac;
yard. when Il rabid cat lcapel over tlic
fence and attacked the boy. cinging to
him wounding his hanls and face. The
mother ran to the rescue. seized the cat.
tore it away from the lad. and threw il
over the fence She then returned n her
work, and her hauis aud arms wcr, i'm.
mcrsed in soap and water for two hours.
Nothing WAS done for the boy. it not he
ing known that the cat was rabid. The
mother escaped the disease, but the boy
rcrished miscrabiy.
While the washing is being done send
instantly to the ncarcs. druggist for piece
Of caustic potash. This comes in small
cylindrical pieces. If the tooth of the
dog has penetrated, cut the caustic in the
shape of n pcncilor dogs tooth, insert
it in the woUni and hold it there frmly
Tor n quarter Of minute without regard
to pain, which VII be severe.
CauStic potash can hr made cxtcmrorc
by pourin. boiling water on wood ashes.
s;raining OF the ley. and boiling it down
to the consistency of molasscs. II may
be applied with a smooth stick.
When the wound is Il scratch. AMI there
fore the most dangerous. wipe it over
hriskly with the same material. If the
caus,ic potash Cannot he procurcd use nj
tric acid (aquafc-.is) or sulphuric acid
(oil Of fyitrol) Milder caustics, which do
not destroy the surface of the wound in
which the poison is lodged. are not wor-
thy Of confidence, although Mr.. Youatt
recommends the nitrate of silver. Qunar
caustic). The part may be poulticed with
bread and milk for two days, and then
dressed with simple save.
1t is too common practice to kill in
stan.ly savage dog who has bitten a
person. This is exceedingly wrong, as
the person lives for years with the tortur.
inc apprehension ,hat he has been bitten
hv i-lhid dog. The animal should b
shut up and regularly fci. If rabid. he
will certainly die. but if he lives week
and takes food there is no danger.
1t is generally believed that canine mad.
ness occurs almoSt exclusively in summer
and especially during what are termed tn,
dog days" This is popular error
According 10 the best authority. the dis
case rs communicated only by con;ag,ou
AMI just as likely to be propasated in win.
ter as in summer. aud therefore city or
dinanccs which allow dogs to be at lars,
at one season and not at another arc al
suri.
In the course Of haIfa century hsv,
had occasion II treat the bites of dogs un
doubte,iiy rabid in many instances. and il
not 4 single instance have | known th.
disease 70 result when the prcvcntativ,
measures were employed within thre
days aft"r the bite do not mean. how
ever. 70 justify 4 moments delay in thei
application.
n. r. SMITH, VI. d.