The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-24
HYDROPHOBIA.
What DR.. Hammond Says
About the Disease.
AN INCURABLE MALADY.
The Difference Between Genuine and
False Hydrophoba.


mrs that run at large in the streets OF New York. de-
spite the s.dog ordinance ana the danger which
every pedestrian Of being bitten by one OF them
have excited the greatest alarm IN the minds not only
OF women, but men, and this alarm has been consid-
erably increased by the recent publication ia the
HERALD particulars Of the case OF little Richard
schweitzer, OF Merosc, whose death from hydro
phobia occurred last week. Tho boy was bitten ex-
actly as any one street Is liable at any time
TO be bitten. stray dog sprang at him, unprovoked,
and inflicted slight wound which, although healed
ct once, caused his death month later. The pub
LEFTY gwen this case and TO the ply scians inte
gent and exhaustive history OF its symptoms by tho
HERALD has probably done more to awaken the public
to realizing sense of the danger from stray aogs
than any other Tor long time has DONE as the
positive Of DR.. Kreschmar. the attending
physician, and OF Dr-SW iam A. Hammond, VINO read
the history OF the case leave doubt the hitherto
yexed question OF whether hydrophobia Is myth or
reality. Both these gentlemen declare the case 10
have been OF genuine hydrophooa. and DR.. Ham
mond IN Sundays HERALD declares that there Is
known remedy for hydrophobia and that no one who
had the disease known TO live.
That so terrible a disease hydrophobia is rare
may be attributed to its own nature rather than TO
any precautions taken by The authorities to prevent IT,
lor as has said tho OF the CITY, especially
IN the suburbs, swarm with dogs that run at large
1ght and day. eSome OF them have owners. who al
tect believe, Mr. Henry Bersn does, that thcre
Is no such thing hydrophobia, say that, il
there is, their dogs bite. On this reasoning
they persist in defiance OF law in allowing the beasts
at laro, frightening women and meu, TOO. wh
know that hydrophobia exists and who fear II more
than any ordinary death. In order deepen the i'm
preston of those facts which has already been made
by the case alluded to HERALD reporter asked DR..
Hammond tor clear statement of what ny drophobia
really is and how It may DO taken.
the first question.
q have seen eight cases q genuine hydrophoba,"
.'You say genuine hydrophobia' Is there, then, .
.Yes person who has been bitten by a dog
sometimes has sort OF hyslericai disease brought on
by fear OF hyarophoDa ITSELF but it Is easily dis
tnguished IRON the genuine disease. For one thing
The temperature OF the patient rises In the genuine
disease but In pseudo hydropnobia 1t remains al
Then person nagines himself 10 have the
disease frequently or commonly barks Ike dog ana
snars though this is not a symptom OF hyGrop la
Although the attempt to swallow may bring
spasms in The lalse disease these spasms do
not always occur and are not induced by the
sound OF falling water by bright lights that may
mind the patient OF the idea OF wafer or by seeing
others drink whereas In the diseas any ono
these causes commonly produces spasna. In 1874
saw a policeman who had the false hydropnobia. lie
was bar KING aud Swapping ike a dog and loaned at
the mouth and had spasns on trying TO drink water,
but when 1 ordered him to drink brandy he did II
readily
..Was he then shammng9''
mo. Ii was hystericai disease He had been Bit
ten by a dog would have tho ny dropho-
ba. He was cured readily BY the administration Of
bromide OF potassium"
SYMPTOMS DISEASE.
SHOW long alter bite is received uocs the genuine
disease uevelopy'
s.Rarely IN less than month and probably never
after years elapsed. Sometimes, however, It
develops in ten days, and IL Is SAID, IN
i've days. Tae first symptoms are sometimes, but
not always, abnormal SENSATIONS and appearances
about the ccatrx Of The wound Then there pains
the nerves radlating from tho seal OF tho wound
Tho breathing becomes signing and irregular, the
pulse becomes Irregular there rs feeling OF oppres
sion construction about the chest and und.nDa-
III GanEA n lpan ia aln nj
Either there Is insomnia or drowslness. Sleep wlen
obtained is disturbed by irightu dreams and is
lresning The bowels are constipaed, the skin Is dry
aud there are alternate bushes OF Leat and cnils.
TINS lasts IRON Two 10 four days. Then these symp
toms intensl nedand uneasiness in epigas-
trpm aud pain and construction OF the throat
add TO the distress greatly Inc tongue becomes stn
md painful. Articulation IS ndistincL Respiration is
noisy ana irregular. Tho muscles OF the throat be-
rigid. The attempt To swallow causes pain and
gea muscles are so great that substances thrown
with great force out Of tho mouth have seen This
three cases The spasm extends TO other parts OF
the body. sometimes It becomes general IL ac-
companed by pain 10 the erigastriun ana sometimes
IN the spine. The mere idea OF swallowing causes
spasms sobbings, trembling ana exhaustion, and the
patient is baihed in perspration. The next day the
patient Is worse HIS mouth as parcned, but he dare
try drink Vomiting ensucs. Pain in the
head and in the pit OF the stomach becomes intense.
Tue countenAnce Expresses terror, anxiety and
suffering The pain the spine increases |
ana extends to The muscles OF the neck
and abdomen. Tue saliva IS mixed with |
irothy, tenacious mucus which collects fast tho
patient spit II out Every attempt 10 relieve
and coIvuisions Al ongtn anything thai acts on tue
hearing, the sgnt or the touch the spasms
As the disease advances all these symptoms increase
Ia vIoIencc The operations OF the body involun-
tary Tue skin Is e1qusttcy seusitiye. The body IS
In constant state OF agitation ana trcmor, alerrat-
ing win spasms. The mucus Increases ana impedes |
The breath. The mental symptoms Keep pace with /
the physical. There are emotional disturb |
anees OF various kinds, and sometimes radical |
changes OF character ana disposition. Dreams /
anu Authorizations aud morbid desires and derium |
common. Dcatn usually takos place the third |
day alter the accession of the symptoms, indicating
iuil development OF the disease. Generally IL takes
place dnring In All cases the pose oil lite,
irom the violent COMMISSIONS, the loss OF sleep ana
the deprivation OF iood, arc drained away 10 thor
ulnostp
"But u there no curoSn asked tho reporter.
s'N0ne is knOwn,' said Dr. Hammond.
"how does i orignateYn
IL no. certain how II originates in the lower
animal ~heirer spontaneously Or not but 10 very
certain ilat i Las other origin In than
lalon II may cyme irom tie oite Of an animal sui
1erng from tie disease. and under certain conditions
y sometimes comes from that OF a dog that not
rabld-"
linen, does the bIto or a dog always cause ii p,
10y no means. And even among those biticn by
dogs Enthusiastically affected with tho disease more
than one IN nlicen IS inocuated. The liability 10
incubation differs according 70 whether the iinas
teeth pass through clothing Or not II they the
poison Is apt 10 be rubbed on by the clothing Tho
poison may 10 conveyed IN the saliva OF a person
nav the disease II 1t IS introduced INTO the Do,d
nc only thing that can be done In case OF danger is
20 the rms done by cauIeriza-
tion or excelsior Of the wound. Mr. Yvuatt, OF Eng
Gland eauterlzcd over -four inbred porsons ptte bv
raod animals, Tour tlmos performing operation
himself, ma he'was mover unsucccssiui unless
III the last operation on himself ia cou,tnittel su,
side, and thero was some evidence that lett The
nscaSe coming on anu killcu himself that account.
Al excistn - employed ~ shoulu be TIA orough, tho
whoo " nc part touched by tho aumais teeth Oeibg
cut away ~ : ~ as no tissues mo winch tue poison
may have inhilratcd.n
Dr. HtmiDond's attention was then called to let.
Ter whicn Was yesterday received 1T the HERALD
once ms etser Contained 40 acc uIt of medl-
cine that had been administered by New
Jersey 10 a great number oi persons n preventive
OF bydrophoVia. IL was not claimed ihnt the medi.
" uA 70 ~ AZ. IA -
adnint tered within i've Jays alter the bit. OF rabid
dog prov nt The disease.
u. IL mpossiOe 70 gave any judgmcsLn said the
physician, "for the letter docs not state what Inc
medicine Is; tut must badly IL 10 oi numer-
Dus class Of medcIncs that have been gwen In a
number OF cases, aud because has died that
took them II has been supposed tnnt the virtue was
A tho medicine. wLcrcas tue patIent PROBABLY would
mn nVR Ind mo mimi IN