New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-01
HYDROPHOBIA.


alive and to all appearances healthy Il Is equally
clear that Mccormick died of true bydropbobIa-
Dr. Cross said that q case is record in Bellevue
Hospital where man named O'Hara was admitted
May II, 1862 with true bydrophobia, of which
disease he died on the ensuing day, tue 12th This
dog was not suspected of rabies until after o Hara
had been bitten. Then it was suspected that the
dog had the disease and the gentlemen who kept
their horses in the stable where il was threatened
to take them away unless the dog was disposed Of
Ten days after OHara's bite the dog was killed to
please these gentlemen, though 1t showed no more
signs of being rabd than it had before, and seemed
healthy Ii was pity that the dog had to be killed.
said Dr. Cross, but ten days should have developed
symptoms of the disease if the animal had it.
DR.. Cross also spoke Of the case that referred
to by DR.. Hammond and treatediby Dr. Cook. The
child, years of age, was leading the dog by
string through the house. The string caught and
the child fell over it, The dog was provoked and
bit the child. Though this dog showed no symptom
of rabies it was killed at once, and observations
could be made. Still it was not believed that the
animal was rabid. Mr.. Butler, who died of hyde.
phobia continued DR.. Cross, believed that dog that
was not rabld could cause hydrophobia when in a
state Of excitement. This statement he published
as a result of his observations
Another interesting point in scientific light was
brought forward by Dr. Cross. He said that many
physicians and scientists had said that true hydro
phobia was only communicated by dog having
true rabies, did not exist as n separate disease.
They contend that the fears of person bitten are
so worked upon as to cause this disease. This,
tinues Dr. Cross be disproved by the of this
child that died. Bitten by dog supposed to be
healthy, the child only 8 years old could not
imagine the disease or know what fear OF
such death was. Yet the child began to dream of
dogs, and told DR.. Cook the most singular stories
about dogs that had no foundation except In his
own brain. This child afterward died OF true by
drOphObIa, aud evinced that alarm that Is always
a premonitory symptom, just the same as McCor-
mick aud others had DONE But the child had no
foundation for such thoughts in any knowledge Of
the horrors of death by hydrophobia.
DR.. Cross. one of the jurymen in the Mccormick
the results of hrs observations prepared with the
greatest care. He believes that 10 legislation can
be too stringent upon the dog question The public
danger is truly great. The disease is happily very
ole. but it must be admitted that
eases of true bydrophobia are increasing
in this city. In the country, upon an isolated
farm, dog may be of some usefulness;
but in this great city, where dogs can be only
nuisance and a terror to every one, DR.. Cross De-
lieves that they should all be destroyed This opn
ion is shared by Drs. Hamilton. Meredith Clymer,
Hammond. and many other distinguished PHI slclans
If such terrible results have followed dogs bite In
instance only, they say, it IS ample reason for
Kidding the city of them all This ought to be done
at once and thoroughly and until then no one Is
safe In the public streets.