New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-27
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISEASE.


returned to their owners.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISEASE.
UNEASY RUMORs OF THE DOG WHEN FIRST At
TACKED-A HORROR OF WATER NOT SIGN OF
TIE MAIADY-INERT OBJECTS TIE FIRST Thugs
BrrTrN-MEANs OF PREVENTING INCUBATION.
To the Editor OF The tribune.
SIR: In this time of public excitement in re-
gard TO the abovenamed disease may be permitted to
place the eyes of your readers picture oil the
Inalady ~ the dog with the of avoiding its dan
gers aud preventing ITS rropagaton The description
is taken from the highest authorities and especially
from the excellent works OF NJ Bouley OF Paris, who
as an observer in these matters, has no rival.
Madness the dog not characterized by paroxysms
OF fury the first days of its manifestation On the
contrary disease which is. in its first appearance,
bengn the outset the saliva OF the animal
vruent and he is then more dangerous from the ca
resses OF tongue than from his bite for he has as yet
do disposition TO bite. At the beginning the dog mani
tests change Of humOr; he becomes sad. sonber and
tacturn seeks solitude and retres into the most obscure
corner Bat he cannot remain for long time in one
place. he uBquiet and agated, goes and comes, lies
gets up, wanders about scents objects, seeks
scratches with his orepaws His movements, attitudes
and gestures TO indicate that and then he sees
psantoms for he snaps the air, and throws himself
violently forward II attacking real enemies. His look
is changed; it expresses somber sadness mixed with
something ferocy But this stage the dog has not
yet become aggressive towards man. His character Is
what 1t has been habtualy He shows himself docile
and submissive TO his master whose voice be obeys aud
which even exctes some appearance of gayety, and
brings back for instant his habtua expression OF
counenance Instead Of aggressive tendencies there is
often the first stage OF the disease sentiment Of az
lection towards his master and his family, which he ex-
presses by frequent TO lick the hands and faces
of those who within his reach This sentiment Is
strongly marked that in great number of cases he re-
speots his in the paroxysms OF madness,
which later PERIOD and his master preserves
great control hlm when his feroclous in
stincts have begun manifest themselves aud he aban
dons hms IL to them.
The raJi dog has mol horror watr; The contrary
he shows an avidy 1T. As long no drink he
often satisfies bis ardent thirst aud later, when the
spasn in his prevents swallowing, he punges his
whole nose into the water and bites, to speak, the
hQud which he DO longer swallow. Strictly speak
ing. the raOld dog has not hydrophOba horror OF
OF the disease IN the dog. In the first
period Of disease dog does refuse his food
often lac it with than ordinary voracity When
the desire bite. which is OF the essential charac-
ertcs OF the disease q certain period of its develop
ment, begins TO manifest ITSELF the animal at first salts
flies it upon inert Objects he gnaws the wood OF the
doors and furniture; tears cloth, curtains, carpets,
Shoes &c: teeth in hay, earth, the
dung other amin ais and his and accumu-
lates In his stomach verified by autopsy fragments
OF all the bodies in which he places his teeth
The abundance OF saliva is not constant sign OF
rabies in the dog At the mouth is moist, and at
other times dry. Before the Of the disease the
secretion saliva is normal thea 1T becomes profuse,
and at eud of the disease disappears. The rabd dog
often expresses the painful sensation caused by the
spasm u his throat and makes with his fOrepaws the
sane attempt, TO relieve himself that IN the
OF dog who bone lodged In his throat. In par
tcular variety Of canine madness called mute madness
TRACE nue.. the lower jaw hangs paralyzed and the
mouth remains open and dry with q reddishbro tint
Of the mucous membrane. In few the rabld dog
yomts blood which probably from wounds of the
stomach produced by solid bodies which he has swal-
lowed Tue sound Of the dogs voice always changed,
and OF hrs bark very different from that which
is habtual it becomes dry aud hoarse and transforms
itself into howl shrek. Ia the variety called mute
rage this symptom is not present in this form the
animal is absolutely silent, the name implies. Sens
biity much diminished When the animal is struck,
burned, wounded, he makes no complaint or cry III
some cases the dog makes deep wounds with his teeth
upon his own body without endea voring attack per-
sons familiar to him. The animal is always violently
irTItated the sight of his species in his
cree, or when he hears his bark his fury becomes
exalted and lie leaps forward as to tear hin with his
teeth oher aubas' &n.h uhaer tns ibnuehce Oh
madness are similarly afected by the sight OF the dog
and suspected madness be made to declare itself by
Introducing dog into the presence OF the suspected
animal
moment when, the progress OF the maady. the fero
cous instincts developed and begin 10 get complete
peregrinaons during which he seeks To satisfy his rage
upon the living beings that he encounters he frequently
returus die masters house The period OF fury
characterized by the expression 0i feroly ana me
desire bite il against his kind that he
directs his attacks In preference 10 any other ANIMAL
Between the parOXysDs Of fury there intervals Of
calmDess produced by exhaustion, winch may some
disease Intelligent aud healthy dogs seen gifted with
the faculty of divning the rabid condition OF one OF
their species, and instead OF resisting him seek To avoid
his attacks by flight When the dog - nearly exhausted
by his fury, he walks with a validating STEP his tan
hanging down. his head iDcined 10 the ground, his
mouth open, his tongue hanging out now OF "A Blush
tint aud sOed with dust In this condition his
Give tendencies not great but he still bites alnen
OF beasts-that he fluids within his reach.
until the moment the :lal EXHIBITS the tendency
TO bite The presence OF hay, straw HAIR leather wool
earth, sOnes &c, IN the stomach after DEATH Is
pretty certain proof that the animal has died from
rabies. The best means OF preventing the effects OF
raOd immediate condemnation, which Is
best and most conveniently performed with the red-hot
iron. The performed the more efcacous IL the
OPERATION Nitrate Of silver, acids, gunpOwder, &c,
may be used and while waiting for these agents suction
with the mouth should be performed. care being taken
10 reject very quickly from the mouth the liquid which
H. drawn into IT, Squeezing the wound may be Prac-
ticed, and Hgature may De applied IN such manner
s to prevent the absorption OF the poison into the CIR
culatiOp. After these immediate measures, recourse
may be had the various methods OF treatment al
vanced different authors, but upon the eilcacy VI
which We should not place too much reliance.
LtchJfeti, Conn, June 20, 1874 W. DEhiN0, NJ d.
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