The Republican., 1895-08-15
CONSIDER TIE DOG.
Mans Faithful Friend Would BE Better
Treated If Man Knew Him Better.

drCphOD1a that a SIlgnJ Qerangement
of the dogs nervous system is often
mistaken for symptoms of rabies, while
dog in convulsions, in an epileptic fit,
orstricken with apoplexy may be shot
as INDEPENDENTLY il it 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 compares to
the electric telegraph. The brain he
calls the central Office. From that sta
tion are issued messages to all parts of
the body, and the wires which carry
those messages are the nerves of mo-
ton, the nerves of sensation, and the
nerves of organic life, all of which
have their separate ganglia, or the
lesser station masters. The normal
movements of the body are the result
ofharmonious, coorGinated func tional
activity of the neuro-mascular mechan-
ism, i. e., of the nerve centers, nerves
and muscles. In convulsions the move
ments are purposeless and irregular,
and are, of course, wasteful of the ami
NAL energies. A dog may have fit
from overexertion in the heat of the
q, from neuralgia pains, or from
- = seEcie, from meningitis, excessive
flight, parasites in the nose or brain,
acute ear disease, or from the distress
of being lost in big city; or, if a fe-
male, of being deprived of her whelps.
Recently ithas been shown that mental
distress has the power to give a dog
diabetes. 1t stands to reason that so
sensitive an animal should never be
unduly excited.
On no account allow one dog to see
another in a fit. 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 convulsions a small dose
of bromide of potassium will do great
good. Hydrophobia, considered as a
canine disease, is decidedly a misno-
mer. The proper name for canine
madness is rabies. The rabid dog has
mo fear of water" On the contrary,
he Graves it, and, unless paralyzed, he
has no difficulty in swallowing it. Ra-
bies is specific disease of the nervous
system. In all cases there is an in
tense inflammation of the brain and
spinal marrow, ending in a loss of
function, which is a result common to
inhamed 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 af-
fected, and the secretion of saliva is
greatly increased. There is the furi-
Gus or maniacal form of re bies and the
paralytic. The paralytic is known as
dumb rabies. Absolutely typical cases
OF either form are as rare as is the dis
ease. Death, however, usually results
in from two to ten days in the furious
form, while in dumb ra abies the period
is much shorter.
The howl or bark of a mad dog is
very remarka BILE. 1t is totally unlike
his ordinary voice, and is sonorous and
kslssselasaaholy to an extreme. No one
neeetai mistake it. The dogs appetite is
so perverted that he will swallow
stones, sticks, straws, and almost any
filth. His biting and swapping are re-
flex actions: they should not be re-
garded as deliberate. 1t is then that
he is really dangerous. Irritability 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. If at
large he will roam over wild tracts of
country at jog trot, with his head
down and his tongue out. In dumb
rabies there is an entire absence of eX-
citement. The muscles of mastica tion
are paralyzed so that the lower jaw is
dropped; there is no maniacal stage
at all.
Epileptical convulsions are due to an
irregular discharge of the nerve cells.
They occur unexpectedly, are of vari-
able duration, and the spasms are of
two kinds. A prolonged muscular
contraction is called a tonic spasm.
Following the tonic spasm are the
chronic spasms, which consist of alter
nate 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 teething and worms.
Apoplexy differs greatly from cpl
lepsy. The commissions are not PROM
inent; the pupils of the eyes are either
contracted or dilated; there is long
continued Inconsistencies and more
or less paralysis.
Meningitis, so often mistaken for
rabies, is yet very different. The tenn
per is very much elevated, which it 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
pitalaed.
~hrenitis is simple inflammation
of the brain. 1t is sometimes COM
plication of distempers and is the only
disorder which resembles rabies. 1t
generally occurs in the hottest
weather The dog cannot propagate
phrenitis by salivary incubation.
"Hydrophobia in human beings" ,"
saws writer, results from accidents
of a nervous order, sometimes mortal,
sometimes durable, according as they
derive from disorders analogous to
tetanus Qoc1jaw) produced by a
wound or from purely mental dis
orders" According to DR.. Cafe,
Spontaneous rabiform hydrophobia is