Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-08-14
HYDROPHORIA.


What the Doctors Say About 1t.
In consequence of the prevailing excite
ment in this community relativ. to mad
dogs and hyilrophobia, Il reporter of the
ISTELLIGENCEE took occasion to interview
severa! members of the medical profession,
an outline of whose replies will be found
below:
A Rare Occurrence.
DR.. Henry Carpenter says cases Of by
drophObia are so rare that physician may
practice life time without having case
come under his actual observation. II
cases were of more frequent occurrence, SD
that the phenomena attending them could
be studied from their iHcipicncy to their
full development, it is probable that the
cause might be discovered, a remedy found
and the disease brought under control, as
has been the case, in 4 great measure with
lock-jaw, and some other kindred ills. No
poison has ever been discovered in the sail
va of a dOg-eithcr Spitz or any other
breed-and a dog bite, per Sc is no more
dangerous than any other wound of equal
extent. The doctor says he has been bit
ten twcnty-pcrhaps fifty-timcs by dogs
of all sorts and sizes, with no other effect
than u temporary sore such as might be
made with 4 knife-cut or Il arcCration.
No Rabies Exist.
DR.. William BlackwOod who has seen
several cases in the Philadelphia hospitals
gives it rs his opinion that there is no such
disease as hydrOphObia. There arc remark
able nervous manifestations for which
scientific research has not as yet been able
to give reason. These manifestations are
perhaps largely due to disordercd magma
tiOn, and persons of high nervous susccpti-
bilty arc much EiOre likely to be fatally
affected than more phlcgmatic people.
Functional Not Organic.
DIR. b. F. w. Urban says the disease, if
it bc 4 disease, is functional not organic.
Post mOrtem examination has failed to
find the cause Of the phenomena. Occa-
sionally there is slight congestion of the
brain, but so is there often where death
has resulted from other diseases. Gencr-
ally all the organs arc found i'll healthy
condition, the microscope failing to reveal
the slightest trace of poison OF other dis
turbing element. An examination of the
saliva of rabid OF healthy dogs fails to show
the slightest trace Of poison and animals
innOculatcd with the saliva, of Il rabid dog
do not themselves become rabid. With
the virus of rattlesDakes, tarantulas, OF
poisonous reptiles or insects, the poison
can DO discovered in tho reptile itself and
it's effect can be readily seen after death in
the organism Of the person or animal bit
ten but in cases of hydrOphObia there is
absolutely nothing that can be found either
before or after death to explain the ncrv
Gus paroxysms with which the subject is
affected. There is doubtless some cause
H., tn1,
ticnt, but science, thus far, has failed to
discover it.
Epilepsy Mistaken for IIy.lropl,obr,.
DR.. ii. E. Wcsthaeffcr. who has given
hydrOphObia Il good deal of attention and
madc it the subject Of his graduatin"
thesis, is of opinion that there are COM
paratively few we'll authenticated cases of
rabies, and that most of the dogs supposed
lepsy of more or less aggravated type.
There are, however, some undoubtcd
eases, and for these he believes there is no
known cure. He has no faith in the
| "mad stone" nor Stocy's remedy. The
origin of the disease has not been discO"
cred, but lie believes there is u subtle poison
in the saliva of the rabid animal, that only
develops and passes through the system
under certain cOnditiOns-a high nervous
susceptibility favOring its development.
Imagination and dread of the disease arc
supposed to hasten, if not to produce it.
Ii he were bitten by q vicious dog he
would suck the wound or have it sucked,
and if he were bitten by u dog showing any
signs of rabies lie would have the wound
cautcrizcd, and thus kill the germ nr dc
strOy the poison, whatever it may be, that
develops the disease. II he had II patient
that he believed to be suffering from hy-
drOphObia he would pour the whiskcy into
him the same us hc would if he had been
bitten by a rattlc-snakc.
Doctors Disagree.
DR.. ComptOn's opinion was asked, but he
was not very communicative. lie said the
faculty differed as to the nature and treat
mcnt Of tho disease, some writers denying
that there was any such disease as hydro
phobia. In fact the doctors don't know
much about it-nOt any more than other
people.
IDr Greene Oh tho situation.
DIR. C. A. Greene has 10 doubt that the
saliva Of the dog, the wolf, the cat and
other animals contains 4 virus which, COM
ing in contact with certain minute nerves
or other organs Of the body, possesses the
power of developing itself, until at last it
pcrmcatcs the whole nervous system and
ends in what is generally called hydropho-
bia. Its operation is not unlike that OF
scarletina, measles, or small pox. 1t is
ell-knOwn the smallest grain OF these
poisons inOculated into the human system
will develop and reproduce themselves
until the whole body is covered with them.
They arc sclf-prOpogatins, as is trichina
and many other diseases with which the
body is afflicted. In the diseases above
named the germ may bc detected
under the microscope, while in
hydrophobia and tctanus it call
not. But, the fact that it cannot b.
seen does not argue that it is not there.
The aroma Of musk or the altar of roses
cannot bc seen, but it exists and is sllsccp-
tible to the sense Of smell for years after
the last particle OF the substance has dis
appeared. DR.. Greene has no faith
in the efficiency of internal remedies, but
he believes he has in his possession :in cx-
ternal remedy which if applied in time will
entirely extract the virus and render in
noxious the bite of a rabid dog or other
animals.
iodine n Specific.
DR.. X. NJ. Bolcnius says :llat the
disease VIC call hytlrophObia is no doubt
caused by virus in tho saliva Of the dog.
This virus if not destroyed inOculatcs and
passes through the system, if the body is
in suitable condition to receive it and
eventually produces violent nervous parox
ysms and death. lie regards iodine rs u
specific, if it be Immediately applied to
the wound. The system absOrbs iodine more
raDidly than almost any other substance