The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-06
CONSIDER THE DOG.
Mans Faithful Friend would BE Bet
ter IL Man Knew Him Better.
From our Animal Friends.

'-'-" "tthhui FRIEND Would BE Bet
ter IL Man knew Him Better.
From Our Animal Friends
50 great is the popular dread OF hydro
phobia that slight arrangement Of the
dogs nervous system is often mistaken
for symptoms of rabies. while a dog in
commissions. in an epleptic Mt. or stricken
with apoplexy may be shot as mad-partIe-
ularly If II be hot weather-before there Is
a chance of determining the nature OF his
disease. The principal centers Of the nerv-
Gus system are the brain and the spinal
cord These stonehenge compares 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 sensation,
and the nerves of organic life, all Of which
nave their separate ganglia, or the lesser
station masters. The normal movements
Of the body are the result OF harmonious
co-ordinated functional activity OF the
neuro-muscular mechanism, viz. OF the
nerve centers, nerves, and muscles. In con-
vulsions the movements are purposeless
and irregular. and are, of course, waste
full of the animal energies A dog may have
fit from OverexertiOn In the heat OF the
sun, from neuralgia pains. or from tooth
ache, from meningitis, excessive fright.
parasites in the nose or brain, acute ear
disease. or from the distress Of being lost
in a large city; or. II a female, OF being
deprived of her whelps. Recently 1t has
been shown that mental distress has the
power to give dog diabetes 1t stands TO
reason that so sensitive an animal should
never be unduly excited.
On no account allow one dog TO see an
other in a III. 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. Hydropho-
bia, considered as a canine disease is
decidedly a misnomer. The proper term
for canine madness is rabies. The rabid
dog has no fear OF water" on the con
trary he Graves IT, and unless paralyzed.
he has no difficulty in swallowing II.
Rabies is a specific disease of the nervous
system. In all cases there is an intense
Inflammation of the brain and spinal
marrow, ending in a loss of function,
which is a result common to infiamed
glands. The mucous glands of the stom-
ach 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 maniaeal form
of rabies and the paralytic. The paralytio
is known as dumb rabies. Absolutely typ
teal cases of either form are as rare as Is
the disease. Death. however, usually re-
suits in two TO ten days in the furious
form. while in dumb rabies the period
is much shorter.
The howl or bark Of a mad dog is
very remarkable. 1t is totally unlike his
ordinary voice, and is sonorus and mel
ancholy to an extreme. No one need mis-
take It, The dogs appetite is so pervert-
cd that he will swallow stones, sticks.
straws. and almost any filth. His biting
and swapping are reflex actions; they
should not be regarded as deliberate. It
Is then that he Is really dangerous. Irri-
liability is an advanced stage of rabies.
In the earlier stages the animal Is sullen
and inclined 10 hide away in corners. His
eyes grow wild and suspicious. II at large
he will roam over wide tracts of country
at jog trot with his head down and his
tongue out. In dumb rabies there is an
entire absence of excitement The mus
Giles of mastication are paralyzed 50 that
the lower jaw is dropped; there is no
maniacal stage at all.
Epileptical commissions are due to an ir-
regular discharge of the nerve cells. Phey
occur Unexpectedly, are of variable dura-
ton, and the spasms are Of two kinds. A.
DIOloHbtu lnuStuidI NDllIdtAlOH 10 Ndiitu
q tonic spasm. Following the tonic spasm
are the ctonic spasms. which consist OF al
ternate contraction 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 teeth
ing and worms
Apoplexy differs greatly from epilepsy.
The commissions are not prominent; the
pupils Of the eyes are either contracted OF
dilated; there is long continued uncon-
seriousness and more or less paralysis.
Meningitis, so often mistaken for rabies,
is yet very different The temperature Is
very much elevated, which 1t is not in ra-
bies; the dog snaps, but shows no tendency
TO bite and there is no particular bark
and howl combined, although the dogs
voice is high pitched.
Phrenitis is a simple Inflammation Of the
brain. 1t is sometimes a complication of
distempers and is the only disorder which
resembles rabies. 1t generally occurs In the
hottest weather The dog cannot propagate
phrenitis by salivary inoculation.
"Hydrophobia In human beings" says a
writer, results from accidents Of a nerv-
Gus order, sometimes mortal, sometimes
durable. according as they derive from dis
orders analogous to tetanus Qockjaw) pro-
duced by q wound or from purely mental
disorders" According to DR.. Cafe. "spon-
taneous rabiform hydrophobia Is the only
rabies that exists, and that is moral
rabies" Before NJ. Pasteur's system was
invented about nineteen persons annually
were officially reported to have died of n.y.
drophobia. Now, strange as 1t may seem,
the number of persons who annually re-
port themselves bitten by rabid animals
averages from 1900 to 1000 Rabies is a
rare disease, rarer to-day than in the past,
and hydrophobia is more or less form of
hysteria. Were there less talk about 1t 1t
would be better for the community. A little
more knowledge of our own nervous sys-
TEN, a little less ignorance Of the dogs,
and we shall be far more likely to escape
hydrophobia entirely than to die from 1t or
to be saved by incubation.
-Easy-Do you thing woman will ever
successfully fill the pulpit?
II see no reason why she should not.
II ought to be easy, with the sleeves she
wears. "-Indianapolls Journal