The record-union., 1896-07-06
ASTONISHING STATEMENTS.


pamphlet letter on the subject Of "Hy-
drophobfa as a Simulated Disease" that
is certainly surprise We have no
means, of course. Of testing the ac-
curacy of its statements, but they are
sufficiently interesting to command
attention The letter is addressed to
the editors Of the country, and sets out
that accounts of persons being bitten
by mad dogs and of the terrible re-
suits" as published in the press Of the
country frighten people into various
nervous disorders. and cause brutal
treatment of animals.
It is asserted that there is a great
mass of testimony by physicians which
establishes the extreme rarity Of hy-
drophobia even in the dog, and that it
develops In the human being only on
very rare occasions. 1t is added that
what many newspapers describe as
hydrophobia Is really but hysterical ex-
element series of symptoms pro-
duced by dread of this disease, and
this dread is the result of realistic
newspaper and other reports acting up
on the imaginations of persons scratch
ed or bitten by animals.
II the pamphlet is correct in this as
sertion, If 80 per cent. of those who are
supposed to have hydrophobia are sim
ply frightened into fatal hysteria and
nervous excitement, and If these re-
suits are due to the fervid accounts OF
newspapers. It becomes seriously
important matter, and there Is not a
newspaper man in the Union who has
heart in him big enough to be found
by microscopic examination who will
not set about to counteTaot such bale
full influence
The essay quotes DR.. Hiram Corson
whose practice extended over q period
after d4ligent search all Of that time. he
was unable to fnd q case of real hydro
phobia.
Or. Traall Green. OF long practice and
cGneful In statement, bears like testi-
mony. Dr. Mathew Woods. who has
Ions been In quest Of the disease, and
during two SUMMERS visited every re-
ported case OF hydrophobia in Phila-
delphda, says that he never saw a case
In man or beast, and at the conclusion
Of q lecture by him six years ago he of.
fered Q reward Of S100 for news of g
patient with hydrophobia, and no one
has as yet claimed the reward
In Philadelphaa at tho dog pound
1000 vagrant dogs are taken UP an
nually and the oatohers and keepers
frequently bitten. but not one case o
hydrophobia has ever developed dur.
ing twenty-five years since the dos
pound was established, during which
time 10000 dogs have been impounded
In It
Dr. Spitzka, the New York specialist
Of nervous diseases, and President o,
the Neurological Society, has aftel
eight years search been unable to meet
that much Of the observation OF sus-
ptcfous dogs Is made through optics
disturbed by tear, and by persons IN
competent 10 interpret what they see.
The record of the London Hospital 9
few years ago showed EGGS person:
treated for bites by angry dogs. but no
a single case developed hydrophobia
ST Luke's Hospital, London, record!
1000 patients bitten by dogs supposed
to be mad, but no case Of hydrophobis
developed OF all the diseases treated
at the Pennsylvania Hospital in 14t
years, only two cases supposed to bs
hydrophobia presented. and in ons
of those the archaeological test did no
confirm the diagnosis, and the deatl
certificate of hydrophobia was refused
by the authorities.
DR.. Charles w. Dulles of the Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania is quoted as say,
ing that though he has been repeatedly
appointed by medical societies of tht
State to investigate rabies, and ha:
made a study of the subject matter
and has had extensive European CORE