Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-06-29
Neutrality-suspicious..


The unusual number Of cases this season OF
this frightfu! rlalady has directed the attention
OF physicians 20 a closer study OF its nature than
has heretofore been given. The physicians of
New York have lad an opportunity in the case
OF NIr. wm. Mccormick TO make an autopsy
that furnishes some addition to the stock of
knowledge hitherto obtained On this subject;
and the occasion has also served to bring out a
comparison Of views from leading physicians,
which may prove of yet further benefit to the
public.
AL the doctors sgree that a fatal result is
inevitable whore the victim has been inoculated
with the virus of rabid dog. The poison from
rabies must, however, penetrate the system
before its most serious effects can be ELECTED,
and fortunately il is slow in making its way
from the seat of injury TO vital parts. The first
thing to be done when bitten Is to prevent the
Transmission of the virus into the system, and
there Is usually time to carry out measures for
this purpose. In most cases a bandage can be
Immediately applied above the wound, which
will temporarily cbstruct the circulation. 1t is
probable that sucking the wound would at once
withdraw the poison; at all events, the knife of
the surgeon and the cautery il Is believed, offer
absolute security. This view is eorroborated
by the observation that in most cases of hydro
PbObis, and notably in this case of McCor-
mick, the wound has not bled freely: q flow of
blood being likely to wash away the poison.
Thus, IL the event OF being bitten by mad
dog handkerchief tightly bound above the
wound, or between 1t and the body, may pre-
vent the poison from getting into the circula-
ton until the bitten place can be cut ont or
eaGteriZed. 1t woald seem, also, that when the
bite Is made through clothing there is less dan
ger OF fatal res1lts, from the fact that the virus
which is conveyed in the saliva Is arrested by
no. clio l. NJ
direct way 10 avert this schockiny malady
(which Il more Absolutely fatal than the venom
Of the most poisonous serPent) would seem to
be to Kill eli the worthless yaga0ond ours who
DO the biting but If this dog nuisance mzSt be
maintained. IL Is well enough for tbs exposed
public 10 know the realiest means OF relief in
case OF heiEg bitten.
An eminent physician of New York, Dr. John
c. Dalton, has sent 10 the Health Board OF hat
city communication On hydrophcbia contain
ing numerous points OF public interest. The
meals OF dininisaing the frequency OF hydro
Ihob.a in tie human subject nov in use are
imperfect for several reasons. Our municipal
relations contemplate the destruction of large
number Of vagrant dogs, whether hydrcpho5is
or nc., during the hot weather, and although
this plan removes a certain number of sniIaa ala
liable 70 the disease il il quite temporary in its
operation, and during the rem ainder o. the year
leaves the community unguarded. II thus
creates false sense OF security, and perhaps
on that account may even be Injurious. More
Efficient protection wouh probably be afforded
by some method which should be in constant
and regular operation throughout tie year
especially if based upon q reasonable know
ledge OF the disease and its symptoms. The
principal danger OF infection by hydrophobis
consists in the fact that people In general do not
know mad dog when they see one. IL they
could do so, they would be in no danger.
But in point OF fact they mistake other affec-
tions, which are comparatively harmless, for
hydrcpaobia, but the disease itself they do not
recognize. The popular diagnosis OF hydropho-
bia rests mainly on three erroneous ideas viz:
hrst, that O mad dog Is 70 be met with only in
hot weather; second, that he lie afraid OF water
and viii not drink; and thirdly, that he is fero-
cious and aggressive. No one of these state
ments Is true. Abundant experience, derived
from carefully collected statistics, has shown
that hydrophObia in the dog occurs at least as
frequently in the winter and spring as in the
summer. The rabid dog is not afraid Of water,
and will frequently drink when he has the OPP
portunity; and he Is By no means always aygres-
sive or violent in the early stages of the disc
The consequence OF this error Is that il people
see dog, in cool weather, willing TO drink, and
not particularly feroc.ous in his manner, they
are not afraid to approach or handle him; and
yet he may be capable OF inhicting a fatal
wound, or even OF communicating the disease
by licking an sb-aded spot on the hand OF his
master.
Another frequent and serious mistakes this
As soon As a vagrant dog has bitten any one the
first Impulse OF the bystanders Is to kill him
But when this has been done, the only possible
means Of knowing whether the animal were real
Iy mad is lost, and several months must elapse
before the person injured can be relieved of
anxiety from this source. liz Is evident that such
a dog should never be killed at once, but should
be secured and kept under observation for a
few days, till his symptoms are fully de-
velop<d. In the large majority of cases it
1oUld turn cut that the disease was not hydro
phobis-
Dr.. Dalton suggest That a few concise direc-
tons, giving the most important early symp-
tons Of hyirOphobia in the dog, AMI kept posted
in scre conspicuous place In each police sta.
ton, would enable policemen to recogaiz, with
Considerable certainty al suspicious cases; and
with their cooperation might serve to remove
much Of the danger which now exists. These
directions need not include complete scientific
description OF the ma,aty, but oaiy It's main
features in the iueipient form of the disease.
With the proper precautions to be adopted.
Such plaeard Is the following would probably
answer the purpose:
DiTeetiGES for tis Prevention Of HydroDkogi1.
Il. a dog that - sick, from any cause should
be watched and treated carefully until his re-
coyery.
H. dog that 10 sick and restless 10 an oiect of
suspicion. This Is the earliest peculiar synp.
tom OF bydrcphobia-
III. A dog that Is sick and restless, and has a
depressed appetite, gnawing and swallowing
bits Of cloth, wood, coal, brick. mortar, or his
own dung, is q dangerous animal. He should
be at once chained up, and kept In confinement
until his condition be clearly ascertained.
". IL, in addition to any or all Of the foreao-
rs symptoms, the dog has deiusion Of the
senses, appearing 70 see or hear imaginary
sights or sounds, trying to pass through q closed
door, catching At diee Ia the air when there are
none, or searching for something which does
not exist, there u great probability that he il,
or is becoming, hydrophobic. He shouit be
secured ard confined without delay.
v. In case any one Is bitten by dog whose
condition is suspicious, the most effective
ard beneficial treatment Is TO cautsrize
the wound at once with q stick of silver
nitrate, commonly called ..lunGr csustic."
Tie stick of caustic should be shaTpened 20
a pencil Point, introduced quite TO the bot
tcn or the vound, snd held In contact
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