The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-19
Mad Dogs.


1.-THE bark" says An The Year
Round, (which is peculiar to madness
is the symptom most easily recognized
by unproiGssional persons. That bark
has lost its usual strength its tone is
mournful; it is hollow, stiAed, degen.
enting into three or four half.uttered
howls, producing plaintive and singu-
lar effect on tho ear. The Inscriptions
Of canine madness are n sullenness Of
temper and I'M involuntary restlessness
which maniiests itself by u continual
change Of position. Instead OF being
snappish or aggressive, the dog tries to
hide himself. During this first period
he does not always refuse his food or
his drink.
"soou, however, he begins to loathe
both. Then comes on an irresistible de-
sire to bite to crafty which he tears,
brushes with his teeth, and swallows all
sorts of things whicharo useless MS food.
A young dog certainly will tear things
for fun, but he will not swallow them,
whereas pOst.mortem examinations OF
mad dogs show their stomachs to befull
of sticks, straw, wool, stones, and other
indigestible substances. Consequently
every dog past puppyhood, who cannot
he prevented from dragging about and
destroying the carpets and cushions in
the house, ought Immediately to he
placed under strict surveillance. The
same precaution should be taken with
dogs who show themselves unusually
aggressive toward other animals OF the
same species. Indeed, symptom OF
madness not to be neglected is the inn
preston made on the mad dog by the
dog in good health. Immediately the
sick animal perceiyes the healthy one, n
III OF rage is the consequence. At Abort
this very test is had recourse to in
doubtful cases. When the patient is
shown another dog, if truly mad hedoes
his utmost to get at him, md if allowed
to do so, bites him furiously.
Curiously enough all animals Of
whatever species, when suffering under
canine madness, are similarly affected
by the presence of n dog. All are
equally irritated, and manifest thesame
desire to attack the dog the horse with
his feet and teeth the ram and the bull
with their horns even the sheep, gone
mad, butts ut the dog. Still more curl
ously, the anger Of the ailing animal
seems especially directed against the
species Of animal by which the disease
was communicated to it. For instance,
horse inoculatcd at Abort from mad
sheep, contracted the disease in itsmost
exaggerated form, since lie tore the skin
of his own forplegs off with his teeth,
But when n sheep was put before him
he was Immediately seized with par
Oxysm Of rage, and the poor creature III
no time was bitten to death.
"The tendency of human patients to
bite has been imagined, or enormously
exaggerated. There is no ease Of the
disease having been communicated from
one human being TO another. The
friends of n sufferer may therefore fear.
lessly and charitably nurse him, with.
ont employing any greater prrcaution,
or any more violent or barbarous means,
than the waistcOat during the
crisis. His mind requires support and
calming, as much rs his body. Moral
remedies are most eillcacious; indeed,
material remedies, it may be believed,
derive much of their influence from
their moral effect. Every effort should
be made to divert the patients attention
from the fixed idea which masters him.
Even superstitious fancics have rem.
dered good service.