St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-07-17
RABIES OR FRIGHT.
Emphatic Views from an Expert on Hydroa
phobia and Canine Inoculation.

nADiGS on
Emphatic Views from an Expert on Hydros
phobia and Canine incubation.
New York physician who has hopes
of acquiring fame similar to that
which has crowned Pasteur of Paris, has
laid out an entirely new field for him.
self in the hydrophobia line. Pasteur
undertakes to cure any person who has
been bitten by rabid canine by pro-
cess of incubation which has been FREE
quently described. The New York
doctor sees the Frcnchman and goes
him several points better. His Gochir 9
Is that prevention is better than cure,
and he proposes to do away with hydro
phobia altogether. He means to estab-
fish dog hospitals and dispensaries
where every dog in the city shall be in
oculated before reaching the period Of
adolescence. The virus to be used for
the purpose is to be taken from rabid
dogs or from the larger and tiercer
beasts of the carniverous order, if it can
be procured. He holds that dogs tn, o
lnoculated can not possibly fall victims
to rabies for a period of seven years,
and that if the process be then repeated
like interval must elapse before there
can be visitation of the disease. The
plans of this medical gentleman are
still in incipiency, and details will be
withheld from the public until they are
more FULLY developed.
Probably no man in this city has had
a more extensive acquaintance with
dogs of low degree than John Mcmahon.
who has had charge of the dog pound
since it was established ten years ago.
His views on the subjects of hydropho-
bia and dog incubation were asked
for. Most persons who have heard of
the project of inoculating the dog
tribe, with dog, wolf or tiger virus.
have laughed the thing off as a very
poor joke, but Keeper McMahon treats
the matter more seriously.
Yes he said, Il have learned that
one of our doctors is conducting expert
ments in dog incubation. say give
the doctor chance, and give the dogs
a chance. 1t can't hurt the dogs and
may benefit them. Smallpox can be
warded off by incubation and | don't
see why hydrophobia can't be prevented
in some similar way--that is, mind, if
hydrophobia is what it is represented to
be, something my experience forbids
me to admit
Your idea of hydrophobia, then, is
different from that generally accepted?'
Yes, sir. l hold that hydr )phobia is
disorder generated in the brains of
weak-minded people and is more the re-
suit OF fright than of any injury done
by dogs teeth
''How did you reach that conclusion?''
''From observation and experience.
During the last ten years | have had
Jurisdiction over at least $4,000 dogs of
all grades and ages. and l have yet to
see mad dog. I'd like to see one, and
l suppose there must be one or two
some place. because everybody says so.
| have been eaten all over by dogs, but
never allow my mind to think of those
trifles. l wash off the blood, put on
little caustic and give the dog kick in
the ribs, and that's the end of it. ]
have had hundreds of keepers and
catchers working for me and each OF
them has been bitten at least half a dozen
times every season, and in no instance
has one of them lost days work in
consequence. Not a day passes that
some of my men are not bitten. 1t is
my belief that hydrophobia is disease
of the imagination, but still l say, vac.
cinate the whole brood of ki-yis, just to
see how the thing will work. IN Y.
Mail and Eapress.