The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-07-01
Some Facts Ab"us nydrophobia.

Ho"S f6cts ADhus hyaTopnopiu'
There 10 reason 10 hope that fresh &C.
CessiOns 10 medica kro@ledge OF the
character o: hydrophobrs will accrue
rom the observations made 10 the
M,CUrm ck case, both before and after
death. The autopsy appears TO have
been conducted with unusual scientific
care aud skill. 1t is not yet ascer;alned
whether the poison Of rabies acts dis
recty upon the blood or the nerves,
aud this important question is likely
10 be decided in the course OF the iGves
ligstiou. The explanation o. the effort
of patients sffiicted with the disease to
bark ike dog" is very satisfactory;
the 'act of its being merely an endesvor
TO get rid O' an extraordinary f1Nw OF
sallva having teen demonstrated by the
ces-suon o. the symptom when pow
er ul medicine checked the flow. The
expression OF alarm in the courteDsDce
OF the patleDt, the Couvuislye action
o. his muscles, aud The congestion with
in the cranlum disclosed By the post
norton examination indicate that tue
kraiu wss affected; ard these and 9th
fealures o. tue case distinctly show that
AZ the time OF the illness the irritation
rom the wound had long eince ceased
70 be an active factor.
We draw attention 10 these observa-
tOrs because they appear 10 teach a
Lesson OF value. The poison from rabies
must penetrate the system before its
most ssrous effects can be elected,
and orIuna.ely it ls slow in making
it, way from the seat OF injury 20 Vita
paris. Obviously the thing 10 do when
bitten is To prevent the traDsmlsslon OF
the rns into the system, aud there 10
plenty OF time 10 carry out measures
FOR this purpose. In most csses band
aye can be immed ately applied above
the ,ound, which will temporarily
onsuuct the circulation. 1t is probs-
be that sucking the wound would a.
once withdraw the poison; at al
eTeDtS the kni Of the surgeon and the
cau'ery offer absolute security. This
ypw il correlated by the observation
that in most cases o. hvdroph obia, and
notably in the one under consideration,
t.r wound had not bl d freely; flou
% blood being likely to wash away the
Vol-or.
81 that, after all, people who are
tjmorous on the subject OF hydrophobis
may console their tears with the re.
fl,c.ion that in the extremely improba
bic event OF their being &C uaily bitten
hv dog that il really mad tightly
tolni hankerchiet, and the nearest
apo.hecary shop can provide the means
Tor promptly and completely elimlnat-
ing al possibility of serious results 1t
Is also noteworthy that q more csre'ul
investigation cf the history OF this
case reveals the fact that Mr.. McCor-
mick, tar irom being iud tferent stout
the wound, was in reality extremely
anxious shout its consequences. How
much Of the disease o. which he
d'ed was due to the exc tement OF his
own tears, and how much, il any, to
true rabies, may yet be open to dispute
Aud the fact still remains that by lar
the greater mum Der Of cases of supposed
hydroUhoba in the human species have
been demonstratsbly due to right and
consequent nervous excitement, while
he real disease is among the rarest
known in the prsc'ica OF medicine-
ar York Tribune of Saturday.