New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-27
SOME FACTS About HYDROPHOBiA.

There ia reason to hope that fresh accesslons
TO medical knowledge of the character Oh
bydrophobia will accrue from the ODserVatiohs
made in the Mccormick case, both DefOre anu
after death. The autopsy, OF which q very
full aud exceedingly interesting account is
o,sewbare piyen. appears to have been con-
ducted with unusual scientific care and skill.
II is not vet ascertained whether tne poison
of rabies acts directly upon the blood or the
nerves. and this important question Is IlKely
to be decided in the course OF the lnyes-
tigation. The explanation OF the enort
of patients afflicted with the disease 10 park
"like dog is very satisfactory; the
fact of it's being merely an endeavor to get
rid of an extraordinary flow of saliva, having
been demonstrated by the cessation OF 'he
symptom when powerful medicine checked
the flow. The expression Of alarm in the coun-
.aiance of the patient, the convulsive actiOh
of his muscles, and the congestion within the
Uranium disclosed by the pOst-mortem exam
ination, indicate that the brain was affected;
and these and other features OF the case dis-
tinctly show that at the time OF the Illness
the irritation from the wound had long since
ceased to be an active factor.
because they appear to teach lesson OF value.
The poison from rabies must penetrate the
system before its most serious effects can be
elected, and fortunately it is slow In making
its way from the seat Of injury to vital parts.
Obviously the thing to do when bitten Is 10
prevent the transmission Of the virus into the
system, and there is plenty of time to
carry out measures for this purpose. In
most cases a bandage can be Immediately APP
piled above the wOun1 which Will Temporal
rily obstruct the circulation. 1t Is probable
that sucking the wound would at once with
draw the poison at all events tho knife OF
the surgeon and tho cautery offer absolute
security. This view is cOrrObOrated by the
observation that in most cases of hydrophobia,
and notably in the one under consideration.
the wound has not bled freely flow OF
blood being likely to wash away the poison.
So that, after all, people who are tlmorous
on the subject of hydrophobla may console
their fears with the reflection that in the ex-
tremely improbable event of their being actu'
ally bitten by dog that Is really mad,
tightly bound handkerchief and the nearest
apotbecary shop can provide the means Tor
promptly and completely eliminating all pos
sibiity of serious results. 1t is also note
worthy that more careful investigation OF
the history of this case reveals the fact that
Mr. Mccormick, far from being Indifferent
about the wound, was in reality extremely
anxious about it's consequences. How much OF
the disease of which he died was due to the
excitement Of his own fears, and how much,
if any, to true rabies, may yet be open 70 dis
pute. And the fact still remains that by far
the greater number of cases of supposed ny
drophobia in the human species have been de-
monstrably due to fright and consequent
nervous excitement. while the real disease is
among the rarest known in the practice of
medicine.