Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-02-27
FLOR the Shenandoah Herald
HYDRoPHoBiA AND EADSToNES.

1yuT9pnODld Is communicated only
by incubation with the virus contained
in the saliva Of rabid animals This
| virus differs from the venom of serpents,
the poison of bees &c, in its effects and
the length Of time elapsing after in
sertion before dangerous activity
| superyenes.
1t is also of morbid origin A period
Of 80 to 40 days usually and sometimes
much longer time intervenes between
the incubation and any apparent action
Of the poison During this. period Of
incubation in which it undergoes a sort
of zymotic OF termenting process, which
is necessary TO its yirulencey it is sup
posed to be harmless to the human
system. j.
In this particular it is similar to
vaccine virus, but,.requires much
longer period for successful incubation.
No immediate, :, irritation ensues, and
the wound heals up as readily as in its
total absence. = f..
In reference to the hopes of escape,
there is an important diversity in the
modes Of Introducing the poison of
serpents, bees &c, and that of rabid
animals. The poison of the former is
natural and is forced through micro
scopic tubes, furnished by nature in the
fangs and stings, and injected into the
oritice made by the same. Its effects
are so instantaneous that no human
agency can possibly totally avert them,
but they are subject to ceunteraction by
neutralizing, or ameliorating agencies.
The effects of the hydfophobic poison
on the contrary may be wholly averted
! by. its removal but there is no partial,
or any other successful treatment
Nothing but total removal of all the
poison before it becomes constitutional
will avert an awful death. a.; !
From the manner Of its introduction
it does not follow, in all cases, the
bites OF rabid animals, and sometimes
after iaatroduction is washed away by
the blood from the wound. Neither of
these uncertainties can happen in the
bites of serpents Or stings OF bees, In
these. the poison is certain of entry and
and instant : diffusion. The teeth of
rabid dogs or cats are solid and COM
municate the virus only by their surfaces
or from the gums or mouth.
The teeth or parts of the mouth
coated with the saliva which holds the
virus, coming in contact with abraded
parts Of the flesh or ). skin deposit the
poison by mere friction =, s., 81,
Should the bite be through heavy
clothing of firm texture or many gar
ments, the saliva is apt to be rubbed
| off ,of. the teeth in their passage through
and excluded from the wound, and that
on the lips OF gums could hardly enter
And if the wound be on an unprotected
part and be deep and severe the copious
flow Of blood may and usually does
wash the poison out The means of its
communication among inferior animals,
as well as from them to man, is con-
fined to incubation.
The small pox may be communicated
not ONLY by this means, but the virus
seems to be volatile, or at least diffusi-
ble in the atmosphere by invisible atoms,
which disseminate the disease without
abrasion.
Happily for us the latter means does
not propagate hydrophobia. 81, But when
the circumstances necessary to its
propagation have occurred, then it sur
, passes all the other poisons above
named, in the rapidity Of its progress !;
in the unparalleled struggle of soul and
body to the final dissolution and in its
inevitable fatality.
Usually after the lapse of about six
weeks from the time Of the bite, says
Dr. Smith, slight irritation occurs in
the scar, and ii red list OF inilamable
absorhepts is seen extending up the
member, and then there is no hope !;
the constitutional symptoms follow I'M
mediately."
Whist the effects of hydrophobic
poison are always fatal, and those of
serpent poison are seldom SO the bite
of a rabid animal is far less. dan gerous
to health or life then that Of a rattle
snake. ii, ;. IT
Unless the virus is kept in the wound
at least for several days, it is as harm
less as water 1t is no more an irritant
to the flesh than vaccine virus before
the latter has gone through the process
OF incubation; and this process in the
former is of much longer duration in its
accomplishment. eff" says DR.. Smith,
''during this long period which pre-
cedes the local symptoms (about six
weeks the. proper remedies be employ
ed, Gin removing the virus1 and ses-
pecially soon after the bite, the pre-
veaatiom Of The disease Is almost certain.
The following cases are related by DR..
Smith as occurring in his practice which
may serve to illustrate what have said.
A boy was bitten by mad dog
severely on, the cheek which bled freely.
The master of the dog not knowing it
was rabid struck it with his hand and
was slightly bitten making mere
scratch ON the hand. The dog ran
away and never returned. The scratch
was treated by an old lady with. salt and
in six weeks the man persisted with
hydrophobia The boy escaped, says
DR.. Smith, probably because Of the
copious bleeding but possibly because"
when he was called to treat the man six
weeks afterwards, he ''opened the scar
on the boys cheek and cauterized it
deeply" '..1oa possibly the poison Aeight
still be imcubati,sg there
A woman was washing clothes when
rabid cat leapt over the fence attacked
her boy savagely wounding his hands
and face The mother sliced the cat,
and threw it over the fence and was
bitten. Not knowing it was rabid she
| continued her washing and. her hands