The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1895-07-20
THE DOGS NERVOUS SYSTEM.
HydrOphObia Il y MisnOmer Rabies AN
Other Canine Diseases.

Other Canine Diseases.
So great is the popular dread of
hydrophobia that a slight derange-
ment of the dogs nervous system is
often mistaken for symptoms of rabies,
while q dog in commissions, in an cpl
leptic fit or stricken with apoplexy
NAV be shot as INDEPENDENTLY ii 1T
be hot weather-before there is a
chance of determining the nature of
his disease, The principal centers of
the nervous system are the brain and
the spinal cord. These Stonehenge
to the electric telegraph.
The brain he calls the central Office.
From that station are issued messages
to all parts of the body and the wires
which carry those messages are the
nerves Of motion, the nerves of sem
sation and the nerves of organic life,
all of which have their separate gan
glia, or the lesser station masters.
The normal movements o. the body
are the result of harmonious, co-ordi-
mated functional activity of the neuro-
muscular mechanism, /. e., of the nerve
centers, nerves and muscles. In con-
vulsions the movements are purpose
less and irregular and are, of course,
wasteful of the animal energies. A
dog may have a At from. o~ver-exertion
in the heat of the sun, from neuralgia
pains, or from too hache, from menin-
gifts, excessive fright, parasite in the
nose or brain, acute a disease or
from the distress of being lost In a
large city; or, if a female, of being
deprived of her whelps. Recently it
has been shown that mental distress
has the power to give a dog diabetes.
It stands to reason, therefore, that so
sensitive an animal should never be
unduly excited.
On no account allow one dog to see
another in q At. The suffering dog
should have his head wet, and should
be kept for a time in a dark, quiet
place free from all excitement, In
most cases Of commissions a small dose
of bromide of potassium will do great
good. Hydrophobia, considered as a
canine disease, is decidedly a misno-
mer. The proper term for canine mad
ness Is rabies. The rabid dog has mo
fear of water" On the contrary, he
Graves it, and, unless paraly zed, he has
no difficulty in swallowing 1t. Rabies
Is q specific disease of the nervous sys-
tenn. In all cases there is an intense
Inflammation of the brain and spinal
marrow, ending in a loss of function,
which Is . result common to iniamed
glands. The mucous glands of the
stomach and bowels, the liver, the
pancreas and the kidneys are all more
or less injected with blood; but the
salivary glands are especially affected,
and the secretion of saliva Is greatly
increased. There is the furious or
maniacal form of rabies and the para
lytic. The paralytic is known as dumb
rabies. Absolutely typical cases of
either form are as are as 10 the dis
ease. Death, however, usually results
In from two to ten days in the furious
form, while in dumb rabies the period
Ii much shorter.
The howl or bark of a mad dog is
very remarkable. 1t is totally unlike
his ordinary voice, and is sonorous and
melancholy to q degree. No one need
mistake It. Tho dogs appetite is SO
| perverted that he will swallow stones,
sticks, straws and almost any filth.
His biting and swapping are reflex ac-
JkOo5y J4CH 6nOuA4 ~ VIC %
deliberate. 1t is then that he is really
dangerous Irritsbility is an advanced
stage Of rabies. In the earlier stages
the animal is sullen and inclined to
hide away in corners. His eyes grow
wild and suspicious. II large, he will
roam over large tracts Of country at a
Jog trot, with his head down and his
tongue out In dumb rabies there Is
IN entire absence of excitement. The
muscles of mastication are p~aralyzed
20 that the lower jaw is dropped; there
II NO mapiacal stage at all.
Epileptical commissions are due to an
irregular discharge Of the nerve cells
They occur Unexpectedly. are of vari-
two kinds, Aprolonged muscular con-
traction Is called a tonic spasm. Fol-
lowing the tonic spasm are the clonic
spasms, which consist Of alternate con
traction and relaxation. The dog, like
the human subject, will froth at the
mouth and bite the tongue. Epilepsy
may be hereditary, or may be due to
teething and worms
Apoplexy differs greatly from cpl.
iepsy. The commissions are not promi-
nent; the pupils of the eyes are either
contracted or dilated; there is long
continued inconsistencies and more or
less paralysis.
Meningitis, SO often mistaken fol
rabies, is yet very different. The tenn
ps~rsture is much elevated, which it is
not in rabies; the dog snaps, but shows
NO tendency to bite, and there is nc
particular bark and howl combined,
although the dogs voice is high pitched
Phrenitis is a simple inflammation OF
the brain. 1t is sometimes a complica'
ton Of ~distempers and is the only dis
orally occurs in the hottest weather
The dog cannot propagate phreniti.
by salivary incubation.
'Hydrophobia in human beings
nays Q writer, results from accident.
OF Q v order, sometimes mortal
sometimes durable, according as they
derive from disorders analogous t.
~tetanus Qockjaw) produced by a wounc
or from purely mental disorders" Ac
cording to DR.. Cafe, "spontaneoui
rshiform hydrophobia is the, onl,
rabies that exists, and hat is a mora
rabies." Before NJ. Pasteur's system
was invented, about nineteen person
annually were officially reported l.
have died Of hydrophobia. Now
strange rs 1t may seem, the number O
persons who annually report them
selves bitten by rabid animals aver
ages from one thousand five hundre,
to two thousand. Rabies is a rare dis
ease, rarer to-day than in the past, AM
hydrophobia Is more or less a form o
hysteria- Were there less talk abou
1t, 1t would be better for h commu
nifty. A little more knowledge Of on
own nervous system, a little less igno
rance Of the dogs and we shall be ia
moro likely to escape hydrophobia CT
tirely than to die from it, or to b
saved by incubation. Our Anima
Friends.