The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-10-15
An Authority on Hydrophobia.

DIR. Liantard, who has translated into
English an essay on hydrophobia by
M, Boulay, says that nj. Boulay's expe-
rience and standing have rendered him
an authority upon all veterinary mat
ters, and that his paper on hydrophobia
was delivered and discussed at the Sor-
bonne. In this lecture NJ. Boulay says
the best protection is gained from
knowledge of the earliest manifestations
of the disease. Its nature is unknown
it is transmissible, but only by inocu-
lation, and that by bite. The saliva
of the dog and the cat is the most viru-
lent, and is so from the moment that
the first symptoms show. At first the
dog is quiet, sad and taciturn-seeking
rest but finding none the agitation in
creases with the disorder, and some
times amounts to hallucination in the
animal. Through all of this term the
dog is submissive to his master, and
the obedience sometimes remains until
death. All are cautioned to beware of
sick dogs, and those that are restless
and too suddenly affectionate. Mad
ness is not always, though usually, ac-
companied by dread of water, and
usually the diseased dog has no appe-
tite. A depraved appetite is pretty
sure indication. It leads to tearing
carpets, biting wood, etc. Sometimes
the muscles of the jaw are paralyzed,
and no dogs mouth should be explored
for the cause, not even when he seems
to be removing some obstruction from
the throat. Blood-stained vomiting is
an indication. A hoarse, low, pro-
longed bark is another; though there
is dumb rabies. The nervous sehsi-
bility is weakened the sight of an
other animal of the same species pro-
duces q paroxysm, and other animals
share this, but in the dog it expresses
the secret fact finally. Sometimes the
afflicted dog deserts, and if he does so
his caresses are to be avoided when he
returns. A long time may elapse be-
tween incubation and manifestation.
When the rabies is fully developed
the dog is excited and ferocious, with
spells of insensibility other dogs flee ;
the mad dog escaped, at first runs
naturally, attacking any life he encoun-
ters; then staggers, exhausted, and is
not dangerous unless provoked. He
dies from slow paralysis and asphyxia.
If foreign matters, like wood, glass,
iron and rags are found in the stomach
after death, it is safe to believe that the
animal was mad. A rabid cat is more
dangerous and ferocious, but the cat is
less liable to hydrophobia than the
dog, and usually runs away.
In five years 800 persons were bitten
in forty-nine French departments, and
129 of those bitten died, while 124 es
capped disease, and sixty. eight results
we're not known. A majority of those
bitten were children, as were majority
of those surviving. OF these, eighty
nine cases occurred in the spring, sew
enty-four in summer, sixty-four in the
autumn and seventy-five in winter
showing that the disorder is common Il
all seasons. The term of inoculatiol
was under sixty days in seventy-thre'
of LOG observed cases, and shows al
most q certainty of escape after ninety
days. In ninety cases death resulted
within four days seventy-four times
and was delayed beyond that but six
teen times. Death was the invariabl'
result when the bite was complete
The actual cautery or burning will
gunpowder or some other caustic i'm
mediately, is the best preventive
washing, pressing the wound to dray
out the poison, while tying a ligatur
tightly above it, is tne most efficien
treatment and after this any approve,
course can be employed. The subjec
is of so much moment that this exper
monograph, though not all that coul
! be desired, is welcome.