The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-27
HYDROPHOBIA.
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE CoNDI TIoNs UNDER
WHICH THE DISEASE MAY BE DEVELOPED
NEW YoRK. April 20, 1878.


ANOTHER VIEW OF THE coSpI rIoNs UNDER
WHICH THE DISEASE MAY BE DEVELOPED
NEw YoKK, April 20, 1878.
To THE EDIroR THE HERALD;-
II would appear almost supernuous to reply to the
communication IN sto-days HERALD, signed "Henry
Bergh. President" ianothsr Richmond IN the field
were IL not desirable that the unrenecting pubic
should be protected from scept,cism due 10 want OF
information. Mr.. Bergh describes two persons, one
OF whom. Otherwise Intelligent regarded himself as an
umbrella (psrhsps Il Charlie Ross) and the other
considered himself a. coffee pot and always ask
Ing to be 'poured out" Considering Mr. Bergh as an
umbrella he would DO oil little service IL II "rained
and dogs" AS coffee pot he doesn't wait TO be
asked TO be poured out but his coffee lacks strength
and tage IL is reported that the preparation
similarly deficient 10 certain boarding houses on &C.
count OF the haricaibo bean being subjected 10 a
one ten thousandth dilu.ion with aqua croonis. la
places, therefore, hydrophobia, or the fear OF
water, cannot possibly exst. How then can there be
Mr. Bersh propoun ds ! remarkable query :-"ir tho
fellow who knocks you down aud takes your watch,
acquisition oil time pieces not the same organ Ca
paOIe Of generating hydrophobia as wsliy" Let this
question be referred 10 Dundrsary.
Wlth regard to b. droph0bia. Professor Maschka Is
not can acknowledged authority over all Europe Ia
this disease. HIS assertion, however, that many per-
suffering from apparent hydrophobia nave never
besn bitten by any animal a. all Is really SO IN two
senses:- 4a
EtrN-rne scratch Of q T0Oi0 Dod6t6 naii tt0 lick
ing sore, the application 10 an abrasion Of cloth
or other substance which Tho rabilc virus has
deposited are all demonstrated 10 have inocu-
lated tho dlsease.
Second-There Is undoubtedly an hysterical or
"meutal hydrophoba," A. Trousseau called II, In
through tear Of the disease after havog Oeen bitten
or extremely nervous persons IRON listening
to the relation OF case. IL acks, however, several
Of tho most characteristic symptoms true anec
ton and differs from IL notably It's rare Ia atty
In auimas OF course tins mental or SPURIOUS hydro
hnh IN I'm dmi He'd and tueu A
ton ween rabies and several other canine dsor.
ders sufficiently clear 10 the experienced observer
although thcy are naturally conioundod by tue guo-
Mr.. Bcrgh says "Bruckmuller an Loriensor shared
his opinonn-I e., that OF Maschka Although Ia
m,lar with the literature Of hydropnobia, do not
know OF person named Lorienscr. do know,
however that sfucsmu'Iss recosnIed hydropnooa
vrus;" thai he made careful autopsies upon
nearly four hundred mao dogs. ana that he
simply arrived at the conclu. ion that the post
morIem appearances alone insufficient ctstfn-
guish the disease IRON several otuer
dsorders-as tor example, tetanus In Instances
But before death the diagnosis between hydropuoOia
and tetanus IN the human subject y ABOUT rs difficult
ally present some points OF rssenblapce.
The iact OF many persons being bitten ~ so-caod
dogs and but few exhibiting The disease 10 unde
n,xbla A really rabid dog almost always bites
through the clothing, which absorbs the virus. Be-
tween ls48 aud 1852, related by the famous Pro-
lessor Pilwax, OF vsnna oil all tue dogs supposed
mad and brought him NJ the Veterinary Institute
account OF having bitten people, 1000 proven
Ne
jurcd by them contracted tho dissase-a very
strong argument, by tho way, against my
friend DIR. Hammonus notion that healthy
but angry dog communicate hydrophobia Iu
regard 10 this point lei also quote the words
oil the most distinguished nvin2 authority UPON n.y.
drophnDia, the veterinary surgeon. George Fsming:
Certain II IL that nothing can be more erroneous or
terrifying than the assertion that Rabies may be IN
duced by the bito Of healthy animal, ana II must
strenuously denied that such u result possible.
No wound. injury or btc from u healthy Jog viii
produce the specific disease we term rabiea" The
incubation of lew animals establishes noLhug
it iuiia 1t mas, however. been successful IN numer-
GUS instances, OF which Mr. Bergh Is either unaware
which ne diDgsnousiy fails 70 cite Theproporton
Of persons bitten by mad wolves (Which fly NJ tue
hands aud facet and who thereby contract hydropho
bis 10 very large The celebrated Professor Rcnaut,
In report the Paris Academy OF Medicine In 1862
preseu authentic statistics oil 254 persons
by mad wolves and OF whom l64 persisted from hydro
phobis. while according 70 Nieeyvr OF lao persons
bitten by rabd dogs IN Wurtembcrg only Lwenty-
eight contracted the disease, tact which have al
ready explained. LIS. sssN s@ t.t .taN Ma
In conclusion will say that the history OF hydro
phobia and It's scientific investigation leave doubt
the minds OF the unpreJuiiced that The introduce
ton oil specific virus from rabid animal Into tho
system through either actual wound, an abraided
surface or delicate mucous membrane, " M csson-
tial preliminary 70 the development Of hydrophobia
In man. geM Mt #e4 bliss T. r. u. u