The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-03-29
HYDROPHOBIA.
DIR. Standish Investigates a Bad Case
of This Disease.

| VI DioCdSO-
DR.. Hewitt, secretary of the state
board of health, called upon DR.. VIM.
Standish, of this city, who is secre-
tary of the examining board, to pro-
coed to Henderson Wednesday of this
week and investigate case of hydro
| phObia on the farm of Fred OSter-
man, a well-to-do farmer living five
miles north of that place. DR.. Stand
ish spent the day there and found a
horrible state of affairs. From him
we learn the following particulars:
On or about January Goth a strange
| dog appeared on the farm and bit a
pig and sheep, and attempted to
bite Mrs. Osterman, but she fortu-
nately succeeded in warding off the
animal with stick until she could
find security in the granary. The dog
then departed, but returned a few
| days later and bit several of the cattle,
just how many is not known Mr..
Osterman later found the dog lying
between his farm and Henderson,
dead.
About February Goth the sheep and
the pig that had been bitten a month
before died, showing prominent
symptoms of hydrophobia On March
18th the cattle in a herd of 27 had be-
gun to show symptoms of having the
disease, and one of them died. Three
days later another died.
DR.. Standsh found the herd in bad
shape, and ordered two of the cattle
killed, and two more died while he
was there. These exhibited all the
symptoms of hydrophobia, streams of
frOth running down both sides of
their mouths until the small yard in
which they were confined was covered
with this deadly froth, which some
authorities state is more dangerous
than the bite of an infected animal.
The mad cattle generally stayed by
themselves, with their eyeballs wild
and fiery, and other signs that all was
not we'll with them. They had no
dread of water, but stood over it,.
unable to drink, on account of the
contraction of the muscles of their
Threats. They would take after any
living creature, man or animal, and
hooked their kind frightfully. Dumb
animals were more especially subjects
of their antipathy, and they cared
not for what hindered them while
chasing these. One COW went through
barbed wire fence while chasing a
dog, and was terribly cut, but did not
seem to mind it.
DR.. Standish is of the opinion that
Mr.. Osterman will lose the most of
his herd, and left instructions to have
the cattle killed as rapidly as symp-
toms were developed. Mr. Osterman
had two dogs, and one of these came
home wounded some weeks ago, and
since then has run away. The other
was shot Wednesday. It is feared that
other herds will suffer, as dog be-
longing to neighbor acted strangely,
and was also ordered shot.
Steps have been taken to stamp out
the disease. In speaking of hydro,
phobia today, DR.. Standish said
'The belief that hydrophobia is
peculiar to hot weather is mistake,
as temperature has nothing to dc
with it. 1t is germ disease, and
when taken into the system the germs
may develop soon or may lie dormant
for years if the system is in good con
dition. Occasionally, but not often
the system may throw off the germs
The apparent dread of water of ar
animal suffering from rabies is due tt
the fact that it cannot drink on &C
count of the contraction of the mus
Giles of the throat. Mr.. OSterman'!
cattle had this contraction, aud they
made peculiar noise, deep below
that could be heard for a mile if thu
atmosphere was favorable"