Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1872-02-29
HydrOphObia.

IT is some time since we have noted any
of the customary paragraphs relating to
! cases of hydrophohia from dog-bites,
five, ten, twenty, or even forty years old.
We have long suspected that this was a
vulgar error More than year ago we
examined the record of case of hydro
phobia in the Philadelphia Medical Times
of this city. 1t was reported by one of
our most eminent physicians He ascribed
the case unhesitatingly to a dog bite. But
! as we said in our notice of it there was a
| singular want of proof that the patient
had ever been bitten by a dog, or any
other animal. No indication of it by any
scar or wound could be found on his per
SON. We have long hoped that our medi-
cal practitioners would do something TO
rescue this disease from the domain of
popular superstition and accepted tradi-
ton. We find in a Western journal an
account of lecture delivered by DIR.
James T. Whitaker, of Cincinnati, on a
case of hydrophobia arising in that city,
in which it seems that there was no proof,
or even pretense, that the cause was a
dog-bite We ourselves believe that the
cases ascribed to ancient dog-bites might
as well be ascribed to ancient mosquito
bites, or any other circumstance that long
preceded the attack The faculties of orr
experts, sharpened by recent exercise in
the Wharton case, may be usefully era
ployed in considering the cases of
hydrophobia, in which the memory of the
patient fails to recall that he was ever
bitten by any animal. Science, too,
might busy itself with finding some anal
ogv or reason for the alleged tenacity of a
virus that is said to increase instead of
diminish in violence in the lapse of
months and years. The observations on
the case in Cincinnati are as follows:
"The case before the class that OF the
body of Bradford) raised the question
whether hydrophobia may ever arise de
n0oo in the human body that is, whether
, the disease may be generated in the hui
man body without any outside communl-
cation. The body of Bradford presented
to close scrutiny Of the entire surface no
scar of former wound except one, that
his brother declared came from the cut
of an axe wears ago. True, the scar may
have disappeared. Such cases are album
eantly recorded But Bradford, in his
lucid intervals, when questioned on the
subject. remembered no such incident as
having been bitten by dog. On that
point ne was quite positive and consistent
! throughout, though his mind was never
clear enough since his reception into the
hospitaI to have rendered his statements
very reliable.
"Dr, Whitaker said he was supported
| by the most eminent and recent author
! ity in declaring that great many cases
| of hydrophobia are not due to INFECTION
! by contract and absorption OF specinc
virus. DIR. Luke illustrations OF the
| influence of the mind upon the BODY IN
| health and disease, with especial REFER
| ence to the imagination, Jan. !, 1871, p.
$50 Journal Meatal Sci6nce, loo. CIT mas
shown that, in many cases, hydrophopia
/ in man is the result OF mere IMAGINATION
/ or emotion. They are due to mentai anx-
/ ietv, grief or terror, associated WIN OF
acting upon a morbid fancy. FOR,
on the one hand, fatal cases have occurred
4 in man without the bite OF an amman AT
all the mere belief that bite mas Deen
receivd from rabid animal has suihcea
| 10 induce violent bydrophoDla WINE, on
the other hand, the bites OF dogs repu,ea-
" mad have been frequently foiiowed py
no symptoms whatever. lrossea men
| tions having met with number OF cases
Stimulating this disease, but really arising
from mental impressions, Inc most
m.rked instance is that reported by Scriv-
en- year Book sgd. Soc. from Journ.
Ment. Sc. loc. cit), where, symptoms
presented, which, although not reiera,
| BILE to the bite of a dog, closely reselnpleu
hydrophobia, and the individual Was oliy
saved from death by prompt iaryhgasolhY
with penknife. In an article on nia .a
ness in animals from when 1hese cita-
tons from the Journal Of Mental Science
with the following 'Hydrophobia in
man is frequently, If not generaliy, tne
result of terror, ignorance, pre]nalce, o'
superstition acting on morbid illiag bha
ton and nervous temperament. -f"'''
adelphia age.