Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-09
THE BITE OF MAD.DoGs.
Professor Waugh Exposes Some OF
the FaIlaeIes abeut Hydrophobia.

Professor waugh Exposes Some OIL
the FaIIaeies absut Hydrophobia.
Philadelphia North Americana
In his lecture on "Hydrophobia" at
the Medico- Chirurgical College yester-
day afternoon Professor W. f. Waugh
exposed several fallacies in regard to
that terrible disease. He did not agree
with those who believe the disease
arises spontaneously, as the centres
Of infection could always be traced. 10
one epidemic in Russia the disease pre-
vailed on both sides Of the Elbe, over
which there was . bridge, but no cases
occurred on the islands in the river.
This be accounted for by the fact that
dogs were able to cross the bridge from
side to side, but could not reach the
islands.
"a periodically-recur:ing error"
said he, " is that rabies are caused
among animals by the change in the
condition of life due to domestication.
This is negatived, because wild animals
are subject to it." Ithad been claimed
that infection took place from bites of
insects. Fleas, for instance, upon a
mad dog might bite another dog and in
feet him. While THIS was proba.
BILE, be said, it had never been
proven. There were some who
doubted the existence of hydrophobis,
but these were not among those who
had ever studied the subject. Rabies
occurred less frequently in the tropics
and polar regions than in the temperate
zones, and was a little more frequent
in the warm months than during the
rest of the year. That, however, was
because dogs travelled more in warm
weather than in cold. Climate had
nothing to do with the disease. He
then described the symptoms Of the
disease in dog.
"He takes but little food" said he,
"and often dropsi it from his mouth. He
is fond of eating dirt. When called he
obeys slowly. There is a discharge
from the nose, and after few days he
becomes violent and bites at anything
that comes near him. Dogs have been
known to bite off their tails or feet.
There is no special dread Of wa
ter except in a few cases. They
finally die Of weakness, the hind
legs becoming paralyzed. Fifteen
or twenty per cent. have the sullen
symptoms, which are similar to the
other, with the maniacal stage left
out" Referring to the number Of
persons bitten who contract hydropho-
bia, he said that where the dog was
certainly mad A. per cent. Of the cases
resulted in the disease, but there were
only 8 per cent. of the cases where tho
dogs were merely suspected Of being
mad. He believed that the best thing
that could be done would be to reduce
the number Of dogs, and that all stray
dogs should be killed at once, as mad
dogs nearly always stray away from
home.
Wounds should be cauterized at
once, and the thing that could be pro-
cured quickest was the best. A red
hot poker was efficient, although car
bolic acid was to be preferred. The
poiGon remained long time at the seat
of the entrance. Pasteur, he said,
had probably conferred great
boon upon mankind by his discovery,
which seemed to be natural
method. Incubation Of rabies re-
quired fifteen days, and as Pasteur had
obtained a virus the incubation Of
which took only seven days, it seemed
reasonable that he could cure patient
who had been bitten within eight days.
If the patient was not treated within
that time the chances were strongly
against him.