Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-09-03
THE FREE PRESS.
GRANGEvILLE, IDAHO.
RABIES OR FRIGHT.

Emphatic Views from an Expert on Hydro
phobia and Canine incubation.
A 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 fire.
quently described. The New York
dostor sees the Frenchman and goes
him several points better. His doctrine
is that prevention is better than cure,
and he proposes to do away with hydro
phobia altogether. He means to estab-
lish 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 fiercer
beasts OF the carniverOus order, if it can
be procured. He holds that dogs thus
inoculated can not possibly fall victims
to rabies for a period of seven years,
and that if the process be then repeated
a 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-
ba 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 very
poor joke, but Keeper Mcmahon treats
the matter more seriously.
Yes" he said, II have learned that
one of our doctors is conducting expert
ments in dog incubation. say give
the doctor chance, and give the dogs
q chance. 1t can't hurt the dogs and
may benefit them. Smallpox can be
warded off by incubation and l don't
see why hydrophobia can't be prevented
in some similar way-that is, mind, if
hydrophoba is what it is represented to
be, something my experience forbids
me to admit"
"Your idea of hydrophobia, then, is
different from that generally acceptedP'
Eyes, sir. l hold that hydrophobia is
a 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 hac
jurisdiction over at least $4,000 dogs o.
all grades and ages, and have yet to
see mad dog. I'd like to see one, anC
l suppose there must be one or two
some place, because everybody says so
have been eaten all over by dogs, bu
never allow my mind to think of thos,
trifes. Iwash off the blood, put on
little caustic and give the dog a kick il
the ribs, and that's the end of it.
have had hundreds of keepers ano
catchers working for me and each O
them has been bitten at least half dozel
times every season, and in no instanc
has one of them lost days work il
consequence. Not a day passes tina
some of my men are not bitten. 1t i
my belief that hydrophobia is disease
OF the imagination, but still l say, vac
cinate the whole brood of ki-yis, Just +
see how the thing will work. ~
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