Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-06-26
THE FEAR OF HYDROpHOBIA,

THE FEAR Ot Hl HlDROPHOBlA.
The following leading article il the London
Times of June 9, on the sui jet of the fear OF
hydrophobia, will be found worthy Of perusal: !:
An alarm about canine madness Is Que that Is
almost Certain 70 recur periodically with the re-
curreuce of hot weather, althuugh 1t has long
been Known 10 all who are practically acQualnt-
cd with the sutjsct that neither season nor
temperature exrrts any apprcciable influence
upon the prevalence Ul the disease. ln Eng
land, where dogs are ~ oiten killed 10 nieie
paulc, no trustworthy statistics with reference
TO tins par; of the question can be obtained.
In France, where careful observations have
bceu made, it has been shown that the differ
ence between the different periods of the year
is ouy trivial; but that, in fact, more autheuti
Gated cases OF rabies occur IN sprl0g. The sum
mcr and winter quarters afford each about the
same humber, aud the autumn quarter is the
lras. severely visited. Duriug the six Years
from 1868 IL 1868 the French Departmental
Reports recorded SO cases during March. 4 rrll
aud May; Il during June, July and August;
G4 lurlug September, October aud Nuv-,ubrr
aud IS during December, January and Feblu-
ary These figures are hardly sufficient to form
the basis OF any very definite CONCLUSIONS, aud
il is probable that the returns themselves may
have beeu imperfect. But it is fair to assume
as the single question Of season Is concerned es-
peciay as there is general concurrence of testi-
uouy upon she point. Notwithstanding this, in
hot weather. AID especially IN large towns, it
is not uncommon to see dogs which are mani-
trst!y suffering from thirst, and dog winch IS
thirsty and bt wildercd Is almost certain TO be
coudemned as rabid, even though there may
not be particle OF evidence to justify the
charge During the last few weeks We have
had TO record several groundcss alarms of this
description. and many dogs, probably none Of
them mad, have been destroyed.
We know bu, little Of the natural history OF
hydrophubia, the constantly fatal human maa-
dy which is caused, sometimes at least, by the
bites of rabld auima's; but there is reason to
believe that it may be due 10 many cases as
much to fear as to auy infection communicated
10y the bite. A dog which has lost its master
Some petty theft; which has been peltcd aud
chased and driven frantic with terror, may
probably bite half dozen people before its
career is brought to a close. II the dog is th D
killed, all those whom ii has bitten are con-
dcuned 10 weeks or months OF mental torture
or anxiety; while, if 1t were Shut up aud kindly
treated, lew hours would often prove that
there was no madness 10 the case, and no ham
of any kind to be anticipated The symptoms
Of genuine rabies differ widely from the popu-
lar conception Of the peculiaritics of "a mad
dog" aud are very similar to those which in
the human being attend upon forms of insanity
accompanied by what are technically called
"hauclnations that Is to say, by voices or
visions which lave no reality except to the SEN
sations of the sufferer NJ Bouley, of Lyons,
who has studied rabies with great care, tells us
always to suspect dog which is restless aud
rb ob hon.
Snappiug at the air or suddenly barking with
out apparent cause, which seeks or scrapes in-
ccssanly, and above all, which has become too
fond of those known to it, aud is continually
endeavoriug to lick their hands and faces. Such
symptoms call for srclusion in some place OF
safety, and for the plDlon of a competent vet
crnary SURGEON But even Nj. Bouley himself
could hardly pronounce upon the case OF dog
which had been chased through crowded tho
roughtare as preliminary to speedy execution
by policeman's truucheon.
The stories about hydrophoba occurring sew
Ell years or twenty years after bite are pro-
baby 10 mos, cases fables, and it not fables,
they at least show that the disease may arise
spontaneously; but yet there is no certainty
with regard to the period of time at which 1t
can be said that all danger has ceased. Ac-
cnrding to the best authorities, when two
months have elapsed the person. bitten by
rabd animal may entertain well-glounded
hope Of escape, and alter uiuety days the oc-
currence OF hydrrphublu " almost exceptional
II appears from the returns furnished by the
police that six,y-seven dogs have been reputed
to be mad and have been destroyed within the
metropolitan district between the lst of JaDu-
ary aud the 3lst Of May Of the present year
One Of these dogs worried forty sheep aud kill
cd some ducks, aud one OF the sheep Is said TO
have died Of rabies five weeks aterward. In the
other sixty-six cases there was no evidence Of
madnes. beyond the fact of the accusation.
Not single case of hydrophobia has been re-
ceived into any of the metropolitan hospitals,
aud of twenty five policemen who have been
bitten by dogs, only five Were sufficiently hurt
IL be placed upon the sick list, aud only
one OF these is still absent from duty. 1t would
Seem from these figures that the fear OF by
drophobia recently excited has not been due to
the exlslance OF any corresponding degree OF
danger Ii the sixty-six dogs which were said
to be mad have bitten any persons, it is certain
that none of these have as yet suffered, and
that large proportion of them must now be
comparatively safe. But the probabilities are
that not one of the dogs was either mad or 10
the slightest dagger OF becoming so, aud that 1T
they had been shut up and watched tor tlmc
the symptoms which gave rise to the behet
would have been found TO admit of sotne diff
terent Interpretation.
The CoMET-Mapy peuple are searching
for the come, 10 the broad expanse of the
heavens without any special clue for fuding it.
vi course, under such circumstances, comet
hun!ing is very much like looking for needle
in haystack 10 this. dilemma an exchange
propouuds the following clue: AT nine or ten
o. clock the Upper is seen with the handle in
the direction from the horizon. The two low
est stars in the bowl of the dipper Curthest
from the handle) are called the pointers, be-
cause they point to the pole star; the. one near
er the pole star being called dubhe. The comet