Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-24
RABIES OR LYSSOPHOBIA!
SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT
Of. HAMIll'S EXPERIMENTS
Feeding and Handling Sick Canines-A
Poor Cure in Conyulsions-Not Case of


Poor Cure in Conyulsions-Not Case of
Hydrophobia-A Dogs Gratiiude-Fear
of Rabies.
In East Fourteenth street, near First
avenue, is stable il which mad dogs are
treated. These animals are under the care
of DR.. James Hamill, the we'll known veter-
mary surgeon. For the past eighteen months
DR.. Edward C.. Spitzka, assisted by DR..
Nathan Z. Brill, has been conducting series
OF experiments with the object of proving or
disproving the alleged virtue of Pasteurs
incubation against hydrophobia. During
this period DR.. Harlill has had the feeding
and handling of over twenty sick CANNES,
and has been bitten only once. He cauterized
the wound on his thuub, gave it no further
attention. and has never experienced any III
effects from it.
few days ago, accompanied by re-
porter, Dr. Harnill entered stall and called
detected looking Cog to him. Catching it
by the back Of the neck he said: "rll show
you what SO called hydrophobia is"
As the doctor put the dog down the animal
snapped at him, and then in fear he ran into
corner. Dr. Hamill again seized the dog.
somewhat roughly this time-dragged him to
the door and immersed his nose in pan Of
milk, holding it there for several seconds.
On being released the dog Immediately went
into violent CONFUSION, frothing freely at
the mouth. The reporter stepped out into
the stable yard, and DR.. Hamill laughed.
''Talk about Herrmann's tricks" said he,
rolling up his sleeves: ''see here"
Dogs GRATITUDE.
STOPPING over the writhing animal. he be-
gan gently rubbing with both hands its back
and sides, much as one would caress a favorite
dog who was above suspicion. At the same
time he kept repeating in a low, musical
voice the ordinary pet names which poor
doggie" is supposed to understand and be
longing to hear In little more than minute
the dog lay perfectly still. If ever helpless
pup looked gratitude that one certainly did
as DR.. Hamill gently carried him back and
laid him down ON a bed Of straw in corner
of the stall
''Now, that was case of what is ordiuar-
lily called hydrophobis," said Dr. Hamill. AS
he locked the invalid in. 1T really is a case
of something like tetanus, or lock- jaw. While
/ was holding his nose in the milk l could
feel the muscles of his throat undergoing
spasns. he simply couldn't swallow. Sup
pose that dog had got thirsty in the street
and had attempted to drink He would have
exhibited similar symptoms II, then, a
crowd had raised the cry of Mad dog and
began to pursue and f-ighten the animal,
could anything else have occurred than that
he should have manifested all the symptoms
populeTiy ascribed to hydrophobia, such as
snapping at everything within reach, froth-
ing at the mouth, and turning and doubling
on his coursei Then. If person had been
bitten before a policeman could kill the dog.
would we not have had oil the essentials Of q
genuine hydrophobia easel Exaggerated de-
scriptions of the dogs appearance and actions
would have reached the person bitten, and, if
his blood was out of order, q soreness would
have ensued, aggravated by the mind dwell
ing on the case. Within a few hours the
victim would have been yelping and barking
and frothing in the orthodox manner and
might possibly have died before morning.
Yet the dog might have been only suffering
from this disease like lockjaw, while the man
actually died from lyssophobia, which is the
big word for fear of rabies, or dog madness
Nine-tenths Of all the SO called cases Of by
drophobia in man result from excessive
fright and the intense dwelling of the mind
IN the n raadfrl results which ara Do>si blar