The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-06-11

Persons are liable To be bitten By
mad dogs under two sets of circum-
stances-frst, when a rabid animal
escapes from home and is at large; and,
secondly, when dog Is not supposed
to be infected is caressed by his
master or those who have to do with
him at home. Consequently, it Is
quite as important that the public
should be aware of those slight indi-
cations which afford ground for sus-
picion that the disease is impending as
that they should know the character
istie signs by which they may be re-
cognized when it had declared itself.
The premonitory indications of rab-
les in a dog are derived almost entire
" from the observation of changes in
his derneanor, consequently, although
they may be too trifing to be noticed
by casual observer, they are FORUM
ately sufficiently striking to arrest the
attention of any one who is about a
dog, and Is familiar with its habits
and individual peculiarities.
A dog about to become rabid loses
its natural hveliness. 1t mopes about
as if preoccupied or apprehensive, and
seeks TO withdraw into dark corners.
From the first there is usually a
foreshadowing of that most constant
symptom Of the disease-depraved ap-
petite. Mad dogs not only devOur
filth and rubbish of every kind with
avidity, but even their own excrement,
often immediately after it has been
passed. Indications of this tendency
appear early, and are more than sus-
picious.
Along with this popularity of be-
havior it is of equal Importance to
notice that an infected dog, from the
first, snaps at other dogs without
provocation. This snappishness in
most dogs is very striking. fla dog
previously known to have no such
habits snaps unfortunately at the
first dog it meets in the yard or in
the street, it is probably not safe.
SO far ] have had in mind chiefly
what Is to be observed in dogs tied up
or at home. A dog which is at large
is also to he recognized as in a dan
gerous state by its demeanor. \
healthy dog in its progress along the
street or elsewhere shows ut every
step that its attention is awake to the
sights and sounds which it encounters,
The rabid dog, on the contrary, zoe:
sullenly and unobservantly forwarc
and is not diverted by objects obvious
" likely to attract it.
This statement, however, is sub
iect to the important exception alread,
referred to, that it Is excited both by
the sight and sound of an animal q
its own species.
OF the symtomS which ACCOMPANY
the final stage of the disease the mos
important and characteristic are thOs'
:. which relate TO the organs in which i
LOCALITIES itself-thc mouth and throat
Attention j. often drawn to the cOndi
ton of the mouth in an animal sup
posed to be healthy by the Observa
tion that it tries to scratch the cOrne
Of its mouth, as if attempting to &c
rid of the ropy mucous which is seeI
! TO be discharged from it. In dog
that are tied up it is noticeable th;!
the bark has entirely lost its ring, ant
acquired a peculiar hoarseness, whicl
can lie recognized even by the mos
unobservant. As the disease pro
crosses the discharge increases, tn,
lower jaw hangs as if paralyzed, ali,
the animal has evidently difficult,
in swallowing. Along with this Their,
Is often loss of power of the hinC
limbs. If now the dog is watched
the peculiarities Of behavior whicl
have been already noticed are seel
to press themselves in a much NOR
marked degree than before. 1t i
observed, first, that it Is subject t
parOxysms of excitement, i'll whicI
it makes often-repeatcd efforts 10 bit
or gnaw all objects (such as WOO
work, straw, etc., within its reach
while at the same time it continues t
exhibit the tendency already mention
ed to devour its own excrement; an,
secondly, even during the remissions
its excitement is ut once renewed b.
the sight of or sound of another dog.
1t may he well to note that til
disease occurs at all seasons; that til
mad dog continues to recognize ii
master and to manifest pleasure whel
kindly spoken to, that it does not shul
water, and that in many cases from
first to last that wild furry which j
commonly supposed to belong to tn
disease is conspicuously absent.-D,
iSanders0n IN the London Times.