Connecticut western news., 1873-05-23
Mad Dogs.

"The bark" says AU The Year
 Round, (which Is peculiar to madness
 is the symptom most easily recognized
 by unprofessional persons. That bark
 has lost its usual strength its tone is
 mournful it is hollow, stifed, degen-
 erating into three or four half-uttered
 howls, producing plaintive and singu-
 lar effect on the ear. The first symptoms
 of canine madness are sullenness of
 temper and an involuntary restlessness
 which manifests itself by 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.
 Soon, however, he begins to loathe
 both. Then comes on an irresistible de- sire to bite to gratify which he tears, brushes with his teeth, and swallows all sorts of things which are useless as 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 be full of sticks, straw, wool, stones, and other indigestible substances. Consequently every dog past puppyhood, who cannot be prevented from dragging about and destroying the carpets and cushions in the house, ought immediately to be 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, a symptom of madness not to be neglected is the inn pression made on the mad dog by the dog in good health. Immediately the sick animal perceives the healthy one, lit of rage Is the consequence. At Alfort this very test is had recourse to in doubtful cases. When the patient is shown another dog, if truly mad he does his utmost to get at him, and if allowed to do so, bites him furiously.
 Cautiously enough all animals of whatever species, when suffering under Canine madness, are similarly affected by the presence of dog. All are equally irritated, and manifest the same 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 at the dog Still more curi- 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 inoculated at Alfort from mad sheep, contracted the disease in itsmost exaggerated form, since he tore the skin of his own ferelegs off with his teeth. But when sheep was put before him, he was immediately seized with par oxysm of rage, and the poor creature in no time was bitten to death.
 "The tendency of human patients to bite has been imagined, or enormously exaggerated. There is no case of the disease having been communicated from one human being to another. The friends of a sufferer may therefore fear lessly and charitably nurse him, with out employing any greater precaution, or any more violent or barbarous means, than the strait-waistcoat during the crisis. His mind requires support and calming, as much as his body. Moral are most efficacious 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 1 from the fixed idea which masters him. Even superstitious fancies have rem dered good service.