The New York herald., 1874-07-08
A Valuable Suggestion.

Valuable suggestion.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALp:-
The deep an xiety shown by the public in regard
TO hydrophobia, and the deeper interest l myself
leel 10 the subject, induces me to send you tbs
communication. Few physicians have had the op-
pOrunity Of meeting with q larger numcer OF
cases OF this direful calamity than have. dis
case 1 cannot call it; ior 1t Is no more disease
than the fatal poison OF the cobra di capelo, which
Stays its victim in lew minutes and for which,
for hydropnopia, antidote has been discovered.
II is, indeed, calamity For more than twelve
years l resided in India only lew miles from
Madras, IN the Conectorate of North Arcot, a
large and populous district. In the city OF Arcot
itself carried on an extensive medical and sur
.gtca work among the natives. A dispensary and
hospital belonging to the English government were
placed in my charge. The average number Of
patients treated in this Institution considerably
exceeded 100 per day; SO that, from far and near,
relief for almost every i'll that flesh is nelr to was
constantly applied for. imagine that almost every
one has either heard or read OF the 'pariah dogs"
o. India. They are the bane and pest OF the whole
land Every little village Is the possessor OF NUN.
bers OF these dogs. They often become rabid. and
children especially are frequently bitten by them,
dying shortly aterward rom the fearful effects or
hydrophoDia. OF the seven cases brought TO me
during my residence in India five were children
and Two adults. Four OF these died on tie large
veranda OF my hospital, where they had every
possible care; the others In their own parents
buts. 1t is needless TO say that everything
was done for the relief Of these poor crea aures.
All known remedies were trled-the extract and
nncture OF The Caabar bean, speedy blisterlng and
the sprin king OF large quantities OF morphIa upon
the raw surface chlorolOrm the nypodermic In
lection Of morphia, &c. Tie only effect was TO
palllate, not to cure. 1t wrung my heart TO feel
that al last must iold my hands and the poor
victims die. Since my last case, however another
remedy has suggested itself TO my mind, and l
can only regret tnat had not the opportunity,
before leaving lndla Of testing its efficacy. We're
j attacked with hydrophobia 1 should certainly
wish to test IT, Any one who mas seen q case OF
true ny ydrophObia knows that the Is mis-
homer. There is lear of water. The poor
sufferer wants to drink, and Will make every effort
70 DO 80. Though he does not see the water, the
very noise OF running water VIII bring on
parOXysm. The spasm is IN the glotCs, and, al
though the whole nervous system is seriously
Affected the nerves OF the gottis and larynX are
specially acted upon.
The spasm takes place there, and the patient
cannot swallow. The plan l would suggest Is
follows s:-Chloroform the patent at the very
earliest stage. Perform tracheotomy and insert
tracheal tube. Through this tube the sufferer Will
be enabled to breath during the paroxysms Pass
into the stomach through the nOstrils a long gum
elastic tube, and by means OF this nourish the
Medicament, or course, should not be neglected
1t may be urged that this Is only an experiment.
Tals admit, but 1t is truly justlfiable one. No
case OF true hydrophobia has ever been cured nor
ever can be oy the means now known. trust
tn4t the professors in our hospitals who have the
opportunity of meeting with cases OF hydrophObia,
Will try the mode OF treatment that have sug-
yested S. ID. SCUDDER, N. D.
BaooKLYN, July :, 1874.