The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-19

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nues, there exists q handsome mastin, named
"Bun." who lives Bohemian lIie and will not
stealers attempt TO lassoo HIM almost hourly; but
he stu enjoys his Independence, and dreams not
| OF Marriott, the dog executioner.
The Late DIR. Butler ON Hydrophobia.
by singular coincidence the files OF the HERALD
give the world the mature opinions OF the
learned dog fancer, as communicated to this
paper five years ago. In allusion to public excite
ment consequent on the sad death OF Mr.. Ludiam.
The letter reprinted below was published in the
HERALD OF February 81, 1869. and, in view OF the
sad late OF the author, win doubtless be read with
interest.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HRRALD:-
As there exists In the pubic mind much Oe doubt,
fear and IniSapprehensOn with regard TO the
causes, gym otoIns, preventives and cures OF the
amiss. through your Kind permission, to tender
few remarks on the subject for the benefit or the
.ymotoms an,,dotss and cures ouf
FTst-The causes are almost as various In the
genus cdnis' as ia the "gcnus homo" Among
these would enumeratc Indigestion, internal OBJ
structOns exposure to the sun and TO the Intense
heat OF fire, foui meat or undgested matter putrl-
tying in the stonacn mats OF hair, &C., blocking
the p. ssags the main canal; spilnters OF bone
sticking in the throat stomach or intestines lack
OF wafer. sudden rights and, perhaps, the most
fearful OF all, to rabies, enge ndered py the worry
ana excl -ement, Overstrdinlng and exhaustion OF
natural passion, rampant and raving, yet unap.
peased. Numerous Instances or this have come
under my notice, where an overexcited quadruped
dis ressed III nerve, uoiy and bone. then pelted,
driven and consequently hall crazed has become
prey 70 the cudgel the brcKbat or the gun; while
the poor bruie only required rest, shade peace
tsecOnd-oymptoms The symptoms Of So called
madness are not always similar Sometimes SUI
lenness OF movement, wild wandering OF the eye,
disordered appctlte, devourlng OF textile fabrics,
gnawng OF the chain. Dread Ofwater nave never
noticed-rata er the reverse. LockJaw is not [ n
common. producing Unsuitable hunger and con-
sequent ler0clty. Continued cOsuveneSy tends to
disorder the whole nervous fabric. Dstemper
often has the same effect Tor a season.
Tairu-rne Antidote. Feed the dog moderately
on wholesome lood. Give sufficient exercise.
Keep aim away IRON the fire and out of the street
a,one, lest the disease be increased by irritation
among other dogs. Let HIM have an abundant
supply OF fresh water and do not place him where
Fourth-The Cure. There are numerous grades
OF ljgntheadedness In the canine species, from the
slight ~ to the craving maniac" The best remedy
Is to produce as far as possible thorough and sud-
den change IN the SYSTEM by cleansing the stomach
all cases have found common table salt the most
speedy and effective, with which his mouth should
be flied. second dose IS seldom necessary to
purify the stomach. Saturating the Whole body
Win salt, by keeping the animal wholly immersed
in full saliva er solution until he is almost be-
yond recovery, then terminating by rubbing, will
seldom fail TO produce the desired convalescence,
even IN cases Of severe FITS or temporary insanity.
With regard to persons bitten, an immediate DIP.
plicaton OF wet salt (a.ter sucking out the wound
thoroughly and applying caustic, II at hand, or
cutting QVl the part, advlsa OLE keeping the bite
slider an excellent remedy. Or ifthere were cause
enough to warrant It, the patient might be i'm
duced in the system by restoration, aier sousing
bordering ON drowning ltsell. believe this opera
zion might be erectual where the MALAY had fully
declared itself, as by this treatment have been
emlnently successful In curing demented animals
themselves. Above all, the person bitten should,
as much as possible, shake or all foolish excite
ment and should be discouraged by Others to run
into any nonsenslcal fear. Fortunate, indeed, It
Is that cases OF real hydrOphobia are so lew and
single case IN London last year.
The majority OF those VINO have lost their lives
through the fundamentally OF some innocent ours,
manly influenced BY their naturally exctabe or
excited systems nave been vlctmzed by their
al cases illustrative oi this fact. One Individual
VINO Was bitten by poor, innocent black and tan
puppy winch had never betrayed any symptoms Of
rabies, Immediately after the occurrence took o
notion that ne must 60 mad, and persls ed IN It
and kept his word. ] saw nim corpse; he mad
died ravIng. Another was bitten by q decidedly
raDid dog; but being uliy convinced that MS pains
had no Connection with the bite and feeling salts
fed the dog was not mad, he speedily recovered.
have also known many who 6clieve might have
gone mad had they not been satisfied that the AMI
mails winch had bitten them mad been destroyed,
when every reasoning man must know can nave
no physical influence whatever on either the bite
or the biten. Several OF these doomed innocents
l have mad In my possession after the occurrence
without ever discovering the faintest faint of
alteration OF mind." Nevertheless, for the ben
eft OF those who themselves are eight headedu on
this subject, all suspected animals should be kept
Ia place Of perfect security. Let such people not
might kill body"
fined being overjoyed with their liberty, are very
liable TO hts, more or less severe. But they bear
no resemblance to hydropnobla and need not be
dreaded. YET, as no foreign substance appears TO
a-ree vita our circulating medium" bites OF all
kinds are better avoided. ! knew a wealthy gen
hydrophobia. He had been bitten fifteen years
before ny his hunting dog. q perfectly sound AMI
mai Tne gentleman himself never dreamed 9TH /,
However,. tdaQ
tered his brain, alter long years that that Dite
would make MIN mad, and the idea did, not the |
bite. raised pup from the same dog long after, |
PROOF positive OF the nonexlstence OF hydrophobia
in ms sire.
easily cured, and generally yield to powerful doses
OF common salt. l have had three cases OF raving
bal. one, o valuable Siberian BLOODHOUND slut.
who aroused me IN the middle OF the night tearing
and gnawlng the fences and bowling most hide
Ously l succeeded, however twithout danger to
mysel0, In giving her several doses OF SALT which
caused her to tnrow on lulI two ounces OF matted
hair which | afterwards discovered she had grad
uallY de, CURED with Ter meat. which was con.
stantly thrown into her bed when she was she'd
ding her coat. Fifteen minutes alter sne was as
gentle as lamb and is now living. Another. q
pull Jog, with lhe same symptoms, was taken In
the same way. | cured him by the same means;
MS pains were removed after casting out an enor.
nous rat, which he had swallowed only q lew hours
previously. Another, with precisely similar symp-
putrd flesh and was Immediately relieved. Many
have cured rom the madness OF sunstrokes BY
nothing 10 do with hydrophobia, as generally I'M
de rstood; but, as before minated 'the an idote
Is better than the cure" Therefore the best safe
guard win suspicious dogs strong chain, staple
and collar until all doubts are set at rest. I have
been bitten often enough by hounds with ''nghty
without the least fear or dangerous
result. nave had In nv possession over 10000
dogs, OF ali breeds. sizes and generations, yet nave
had but one case OF unmistakabe hydrOphaDia
which was brought to me Tor treatment. As he
was = powerful brure had him wen secured las 1
wisn all such ere with chain, collar and staple
chODDau 1 de
lttempt TO cure him, but carefully watched his
cravings and rawlings till, perfectly enervated and
)rostraIe from sheer exhaustion, his Pulse grad
lally grew fainter and weaker TIL 1t ceased to beat.
could write volume on this subject, but your
valuable space forDld5 FRANCIS BUTLER.
kkw YORK, Feb. 20, 1859.
From tho Late DR.. Francis Buffers
Work ON tho Breeding. Diseases So. OF
Dogs, Published I'm 1870.
1t is somewhat difncult to define the varied