The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-27
ERRORS ABOUT HYDRoPHoBIA
Some Popular Mistakes Concerning
Mad Dogs and Their Acts.
From The chicago Herald

a very grave error is expressed in the
name hydrophobia, which means horror
of water. This is not simply missioner,
but misleading in a very serious way. The
name hydrophobia having become fixed in
peoples mind, and the idea that rahd
dogs dread water having become part and
parcel of the general belief, the sight OF q
dog eagerly tapping water or willingly
plunging into it naturally leads ninety
nine out of hundred to exclaim: He
drinks; there is no danger"
The fact is, says this authority, that n
burning thirst is one Of the characteristic
symptoms of rabies in its early stages. On
the other hand, the name hydrophobia is
very appropriate when applied to man, as
an indefnable dread of water or any
liquid is the characteristic Of the later
stages Of the disease when affecting n hui
man subject In dogs, so far from a dread
of water being a reliable symptom it is
one which shows itself but in extremely
rare cases.
Another popular error attributes the
madness of dogs to the heat of the dog
days. In July and August, says the
scientist, all kinds of precautions are
taken which no one thinks of in Novem-
Der or December. Now the simple fact is
that the dog days have no more to do with
the rabies than the moon has to do with
lunacy. Dogs are liable to attacks in
every month of the year, but it so hap
pens that July and August are precisely
the months in which the fewest
cases occur. The records of the veter-
mary schools of Abort Toulouse, Paris,
London and Lyons show that il is not in
the hottest months, but in the wettest
months, that the great majority Of cases
are seen. In April, November and De
cember the record cases are double and
triple those in June, July and August,
That the heat of the weather is not
the cause of rabies is strikingly proved
by the fact that in hot countries the
disease is rare, and in some even un-
known Thirst, however, intense, is in
capable of producing rabies. Dogs have
been subjected to the cruel experience of
complete abstinence from water when
chained to a wall under q burning sun.
They died from thirst, but showed no
symptoms of rabies.
Another error is TO suppose that mad
dogs foam at the mouth II is only at one
stage of the disease that the rabid dog
shows any foam. A perfectly healthy
dog often shows an abundance of foam
at the mouth after a hard run.
AS 1t is most important that the symp-
toms Of rabies In dogs should be remem-
bered, the following Of the most nota BILE
are given for the guidance Of both those
who are fond Of dogs and those who fear
them
At the commencement of the disease
the animals temper becomes changed; Ii
is dull, gloomy and silent, seeks solitude
and withdraws into the most obscure cor
ners. 1t is fidgety and restless, goes here
and there, lies down and gets up, keeps
constantly prowling about and cannot
rest long in one place. IL shifts and
scratches with its fore DAVIS and appears
to try to hide It's head under its chest
Often the affected dog starts as If haunted
by phantoms; it banks and snaps al
nothing. II always has a gloomy, sulle1
aspect. The mad dog has no dread of wa
ter, but, on the contrary, will greedily
swallow it.
When the desire to bite which is one
of the essential characteristics of rabies
at q certain stage, begins to manifest
itself the animal first attacks inert bodies
II seems to delight in gnawing wood
leather, its chain, carpets, the wood of its
kennel, straw coal, earth, etc. The sen
sibility of the rabid dogis greatly blunteC
when 1t is struck, burned or wounded; il
emits no cry of pain or sign as when il
suffers or is afraid in health. One of the
the most important indications of madness
is that the sick dog is always very much
enraged ut the sight Of an animal of it!
own species Even when the disease i,
but little developed it will show thi,
strange antipathy
The voice of the rabid dog is Of {
marked contrast, and can easily be de
tected The sound is very husky anC
Jerking. These may be taken as the mos
important symptoms of this dread sdis
ease, and are the results of long observa
ton and study by a noted English
scientist.