The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-06
HYDROPHOBIA.
Origin and Development OF
the Disease.
PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS.
How the Virus is Communicated by
Animals to Human Beings.

currepcs in this country within the past few years at
tractcd general It's origin causes and ma
ture II awell established fact that this disease never
originates In the human species; nor is there any
trustworthy evidence that IL has ever been conveyed
from one human being another, or such cases oc-
cur they extremely rare and under special condi-
t,ons Its spontaneous origin Is entirely couhncd to
the lower animals and chiefly dog. cat, WOLF fox
jackai and badger, may be conveyed by contagon
and incubation 10 most II all animals, and to the
human being.
II appears from statistics that the dseaso Is un-
known 10 some parts OF tho world, but wherever 10
may It's origin seems to be uninfuenced by heat
and cold although Professor Rey of Lyons states, as
the result Of experience that the disease is more
frequent IN wet tnan in dry months
CAUSES OF rHE DISEASE.
Tho chief causes for the production OF this disease
havo been stated to be- among Others sudden changes
Of temperature, excessive thirst, rage, unwholesome
food &c. but the invcsts Of scientists oil over
the world have failed to determine tho true causes and
sources Of this terrible malady, although one fact
seems well settled, and it is that the disease occurs
much moro frequently in dogs and other animals
among males than among females. Echel, Of Ger
many, has also deternincd that rabies occurs much
more freq usntly among mongres than dogs OF pure
blood aud OF good breed.
DEVELOPMENT AND SYMPTOMS.
Tho average period OF incubation or development is
usually IN dogs about from twenty-five to forty days,
the shortest being fourteen days and the longest
four mouths The symptoms OF this disease differ
very much from those that show themselves In the
human subject, the dog exhibiting no dislike TO
water; the contrary, he takes every opportunity
to quonch his thirst. This, as we'll known Is not the
case in man, as~every attempt at swallowing fluid,
and even It's very sight, Is productive of most intense
rotv Tha Nr-t chnu
by dog affected by this disease Is sullcn-
ness and rcstIessness no at times foams from
The mouth his gait becomes unsteady and he
staggers from side sdc tho tono OF his bark changes
and generally carly In the attack he shows signs Of
dclrIum by barking and swapping at Imaginary objects,
tho tongue speedily becomes swollen, and tho saliva
becomes scanty and vscd I'D the disease approaches
It's termination his legs become paralyzcd. the eyes
sunken and dull and the lowcr jaw hangs, the tongue
protruding from the mouth. The disease generally
lasts from five ten days. during which time the par
oxysms OF rage and delrum lntermt and at times the
animal remains quiet and passive, although
the slightest disturbance or irritation will make
him snap and bite The disease in man generally
takes from five weeks to three months to develop.
although the cases recently reported In New York
arc said to have developed in a much shorter time
af,cr inocuIation. Cases have been recorded where
the disease appeared after years Much doubt
however, exists the correctness OF tho reports Of
cases stated 10 have occurred after interval OF
oral years. and the general feeling among scientists
is not to accept them as reliable.
TIE SYMPTOMS IN EAx.
In man the nrst symptom oi approaching trouble Is
generally u tenderness irrtabllity OF the wounded
part, which generally becomes inHamed and swollen
and sometimes ucerates. II ono OF the limbs is af
fccted sense Of numbncss and tingling is generally
ic!t In the track OF the principal There
few cases of this disease In which pain ana nnamma
ton do not occur in the wounded part. The second
stage OF hydrophoba is generally marked by a
considerable amount OF mental depression and
irritablity Soon the mouth becomes filed
with thick viscid mucus, dcglutition or swallow
ing becomes painful and in the end impossible, the
muscles OF the neck and Jaw grow rigid, and the
breathing becames irregular and spasmodic vomiting
generally sets IN, green and vscid matter being dis
charged from the stomach, the eyes become wild and
glare The entire body Is thrown into violent convu
sions which arc either tetanc or epilcptnorm. The
mind is In constant condition OF alarm, lear or
despair and the slightest toucn or even a breath OF
air being sufficient 10 thrown tho patient into violent
commissions.
This IS symptom that IS rarely absent In this dis
edsc: II is produced by the pain and difficulty swallow.
ing any other fluid, spasm being produced
on any attempt being made to do so. IN many
the first symptom Of the disease beng tho production
OF OF tear at liquids. Attempted swallowing
of hQuids also produces "a spasm OF the muscles Of
respiration when seems almost TO endangcr the lie OF
the person by sufocation. Death Is produced In
OF these violent paroxysms The eyes almost start from
their sockets, the face becomes vid, when death
cifully puts end 10 the uEfortunate's suffering.
Tho number of persons that recover from this dis.
ease are comparatively few. Most writers state that
one in tour generally recover, but in the light
oil recent experience this estimate does not seem
TO be confirmed. OF the number OF cases OF this dis
ease reported to have occurred in tns city but lew Of
them terminated 10 recovery. This difference OF ex-
perence in the disease between this country and Eu
rope particularly France, seems strange Tor according
to experiments nude by NJ. Rcnault, OF tue Vetern
AIRY school of Abort the proportion oil dogs bitten by
rau,d animal who aiterward become rabid Is not
thirty three per cent Ranault also states that
in Abort in 1861 out lltccn bites inflicted by rabid
dogs only three OF death occurred among
tho persons wounded. In mis- country the experience
the disease Is exactly the reverse OF the above Tor
every that II is rare Tor recovery 10 take
place. in nearly I'LL cases bite from rabid and
hydrophobc dog proving fatal From The statements
many cases OF disease closely resembling hydrophoola
included In the returns us this Affection ana that
the recovcries recorded as from hydrophobia
when such not rcnlly the case.
INTERESTING PIcrioNs
or the many supposed causes o ths terrible disease
tho relation Of some may not provo undressing.
Tradtion always stated That the OF hydrophoba
in q dog was u worm that existed beneath tho dogs
tongue the removal OF which was IA sure proven
tive against the contraction OF the disease This
belief in n worm" firmly established
particularly In Germany that law was made 1853
making Il obligatory the owners Of ali dogs
this worm, called by the Germans foliUurm,
.worm OF madness" removed by an expert operator.
who generally devoted his time to this business A
corps these operators were appointed 10 visit each
house. and all owners o dogs were obliged to
certificate that the law had been faithfully carried
In relation to the "tolwurm." Every person who
violated this law was punished by Imprisonment Tor
more months and a line OF my crowns La lIsO
IN theory rely demolished by tho occurrence
of a that proved the removal OF the called
mad worm To have no preventive effect against
~ n MI ru lnNu
wounded tho aog of a farmer, winch shortly after
showed signs oil hydfOphobia. The wounded
dog IN his turn BIT two An investigation into
the the fact that the OF the two
dogs mad certificates that the "tolwurm' had been
removed The sanitary officers oil the place received
ample testimony to the Tact of disease origna-
ting and being communicated alter the operation. The
resut that TINS law repealed and the s.toll.
wurm' lett IN peace The foregoing 10 an example vf
the strange ana, many INSTANCES absurd, views that
been held ~ relation TO this disease toe laws
this city ufordin2 quite good specimens TN tho
L. IL Laalu uaII huLio ia.ll