The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-01-27

L
Did ron see what that patient did
when l offered him q glass OF watsrs
He turned from it with fear and dis
tress. The offer was not 80 cruel as il
seemed. as he had been able to swal-
low lit lie water in the house. That
has given the name to the disease, hy-
drophobia. He wants water. he Graves
water. yet he fears it When he was
coming down here. in his suffering. he
grasped handful of snow. which was
10 him. doubtless. one of the. raress
treats which he has enjoyed for some
time. This is undoubtedly hydropho.
bia. A strong. substantial farmer.
ifty-two years old, who never knew
what hysteria was, nor nervous dis
ease, is rather too old to pick it mp
now. His pet spaniel, of which he was
very fond. had strayed from home-an
unusual thing for it to do. Then, in
season Of sanity, which these dogs some
times have. returned to his master, who
rejeiced at the finding of his pet, was
fondling him; and the dog, with
those tokens Of affection common to
them. struck his teeth against the lips
of his master, ard inflicted the wound
which will soon cause his death. The
injury was not on the part of the body
covered with clothes. where the poison
might have been wiped away. but on
the bare lip. Sixty per cent. of bites
on the face prove fatal; forty per cent.
of those on the hand, and only from
twenty to thirty per cent. of those oc-
curing on parts covered by the cloth
ing. The exciting cause of this attack
may be sudden noise, slam of the
door or any sudden impression. In
this case it was an appeal to the senses,
and that of smell was the one selected.
He was butchering hogs forty-five days
after the reception of the injury and in
hailed some irritating vapor. He was
attacked with dyspnGa. An ofiicious
neighbor told him that hydrOphobia
commenced so. This was Il most un-
fortunate occurrence. Fear has much
to do with the aggravation of the dis
ease. Men have had what appeared TO
be q sure case. and were relieved after
seeing tho dog in health. and thus be-
ing made to know that he was not mad,
as they had feared. You can not de-
ceive this man. All our efforts in this
line have been 'fruitless. He knows
that he has hydrophobia. and knows he
will die.
The chain of evidence in this case is
very complete. The dog lived few days
afterwards. and died with hytlrophobic
symptoms. 1t is of great Importance.
in all suspected cases, to keep the dog.
and watch it closely. 1t was not known
where this dog got hydrophoaia II
was not known that there were mad
dogs about. Rabies is not confided to
dogs. but is also found among cats.
foxes and other animals. Tho history
is quite enough in this case to support
the diagnosis. The history of the bite
was obtained here; but this is apt to be
forgotten, especially in this country.
Some sudden impression may start it
up.
1t is very essential to follow up tho
history of the animal. Hammond re-
ports case in which man died and
the dog did not bite him at all. The
period of incubation is not so long in
any disease as in hydrophobia. Itvaries
between eighteen and sixty-four days.
This case is about an average. Cases
do occur in three. six. twelve and
twenty-four months. In the oldef
literature. we have statements of its
happening after five to ten years, but
we look on these state ments with in
credulity. We know how man can
inhale the heterogeneous Of tuber-
culosis. which will lie latent for a long
time. then assert itself The fact that
the period of incubation is so
long gives great encouragement
in preventive treatment We can
cut out the wound. suck out the
poison. or apply the igature if
properly located. There is nothing
better than fire. Heat an iron white Z
hot and apply it to the surface
of the wound. Thorough de-
struction of the wound is the only
hope. We must Mt all events cauterize
the wound; lunar caustic is poor.
chloride of zinc is better. fire is the
best. Destroy the wound at once; but
do not fail to do so If rs much as two
weeks have elapsed. Pasteur thought
he could make the victim used to an
attenuated form of virus. and thus keep
the disease in check. Pasteur's treat
ment may prove useful 1t is too early
as yet to tell what will become of it.
Patients attacked with this disease
die in from two to eight days This
man looks as if he would die in twenty
four hours We can only prove beyond
IL possible doubt that a case is hydro
phobia by incubation. 1t is doubtful
if true case Of hydrophobia ever re-
covered.
We can relieve symptoms. This man
has received forty grains of choral by
the rectum. then one-half grain of NOR
phia hypodermically; one-half bour
later. onc-third grain of morphia hy-
podcrmicaliy, then five grains III chic
raj hypodermicaiiy. all of which was
followed by no effect worth speak
ing Of This morning one grain
Of coacine was put in the
esophagus and throat. then one-thirl
grain of curHre. Moerck's preparation
was given simultaneously. which
should be repeated every half hour till
the dyspnGa is relieved. All the tact
of the physician is needed To take the