Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-19
ANIMALS BREED DISEASE.
How Acute Mania is Often Attributed to
Hydrophobia
The Cat ~ . Cause Of Epidemics-
Danger Of Fend1ias
DOnsstic Pets.

NsoeuS from alleged hyQrO~
phobta." said an insanity expert to 4 Star
reporter yesterday. However. we mad
doctors do not share the popular belief
respecting that complaint.
was called In the other day to attend
the case OF a young woman who was dying
with all the symptoms Of so-called hydro
phobia. She was In commissions. When Of
rered water in q tin receptacle she bit
right through the sheet metal She barked
now and then like q dog and frothed at
the mouth
The average general practitioner would
have diagnosed the case as hydrophobia
on hand. But there was one objection to
that theory-the patient had never been
bitten by q dog or by any other animal,
unless 1t were an insect. Not only was
there no question of mad dog. but there
was no dog at all in the history Of the
disease. The latter was nothing more nor
less than what the insanity specialist terms
Acute mania is q complaint which mani
tests itself in all of the symptoms which
are commonly attributed to hydrophobia
The patient is thrown into commissions at
such manifestations varying in different
cases; Barking like dog. frothing at the
mouth and biting at whatever is within
must be served with both food and water
In tin receptacles, to avoid danger. In nine
cases out OF ten death enSueS.
lis there no danger then In being bitten
by a rabid dog2 Certainly there is-very
great danger. What is the matter with
such a dog? He Is attacked by q disease
the familiar complaint called 'septicaemia >
or blood poisoning His bite il likely to
communicate blood poisoning to the person
bitten. It is a serious and often fatal COM
plant. Sometimes 1t happens that the indi-
vtdual bitten receives severe shock
from the fright that the nervous system is
upset.
.sIp srch q covo .cuta wanna .r,y cal IN
To bring that about. the dog need not be
rabid-to speak more accurately It need not
be suffering from blood poisoning. 1t may
be perfectly healthy. and yet the fright &C.
casioned by its bite may induce the danger
Gus nervous trouble Of which speak. I
think that have made myself clear. Take
particular notice Of the fact that acute ma
MIA may be brought on by a variety Of caus-
es Independent Of the canine species. But.
If the patient has happened at any time pre-
viously to be bitten by dog. the trouble Is
hydrophobia Ii raised.
Now, I will venture to say that one per-
son out Of every three receives at some time
In his or her life q wound, slight or other
wise from the teeth of q dog. Frequently
such injuries are inflicted by playful pup
pies or otherwise accidentally: When you
friend and constant companion OF man. 1t
Is hardly surprising that such should De the
fact. You say that you yourself have been
with acute mania, barking like q dog. foam
ing at the mouth and exhibiting DISPOSE
ton to bite wo111 nS5 y0d To ons Of those
dog bites? OF course they would. If you
died, you would be advertised in the news
papers as victim Of hy SI pspea1 theory
of my own It represents the belief Of ex-
perts in nervous diseases generally. How.
e sSs ao sn let me say something more with
relation to that other favor1te household
companion Of mantle cat. I would nrrt
IS Ia a beast far more useful to mankind than
the dog. Without the latter We could get
along, but II we had no cats we should have
OF ees snd tSe
crops and small live stock OF the farmers
AT the same time you may set IT down
nras faas sns %nssaS
Of diseases. 1t breeds them and disssmi-
mates them. skin troubles particularly. It
carries about with 1t the contagion Of diph-
complaints, and IT is seriously suspected Of
helping to SOW the germs of consumption.
the scalp and causes the hair to fail out.
is frequently conveyed by cats. Likewise
it is with scarlet fever, which. when it is
abroad by the pet pussies Of the establish.
ment.
The way Of it is this: When there Is
sickness in a house old cloths are apt to
be used for various purposes. These are
commonly thrown afterward into some out
Of the way place, like the corner Of a
closet. Suppose that there 10 q tabby about
that Is on the point OF bringing into the
world litter of kittens. Female cats are
constantly having kittens. as you know,
being among the most prolific Of animals.
She searches for seQuestered nook for
her accouchment. and IL likely to make her
bed Of Just such lot Of old rags as
have described
AS a natural consequence, not only Is
the mother cat infected as to her fur with
the contagious disease. but all Of her kit
tens are likewise. The latter are fondled
by the children. Pathogenic germs s.em to
find a most favorable breeding -yround in
the hair Of cats. AS a result the complaint
Is spread. Unfortunately, the infection is
not limited to the house. II is spread abroad
by the cats. which are notorious .tragglars
Thus before many days have passed there is
an epidemic Of scarlet fever or what not
in the neighborhood Nobody can imagine
how 1t got about. Little Johnny dies of
diphtheria and nobody dreams that he con-
tracted 1t by picking up q strange cat.
Children have a way Of picking up cats
them. That accounts for many Eases of
that very disagreeable disease called ring
worm. 1t IL the same way with other skin
troubles that are contagious Cats as we'll
as dogs. are liable to tuberculosis of the
lungs. otherwise known as consumption.
That they communicate It to human Beings
IL more than suspected. BY the way, Il ls
worth mentioning that the woody Toy ami
mails Of the nursery are not desirable play
things. Disease germs are retained and
bred in the WOOL and the fondling Of them
ton through the household