The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-08-04
No Need to Go to pnstour Institute
for Treatment.
HOW TOpREVENT nYDROPlIOBIA
Dir. John Morris, of baltimore, Asserts
that II Can he Done and Tells How.
Much that Is Called iiydrnphobla Is
simply Exaggerated Nervousness A
Typlcu, Case OF the Real Disease.

49, ~ wv w ~ ~ ~ WV
country, The general fear OF this
dreaded disease has resulted In n good
patronage from all parts OF the country
FOR the Pastcur treatment, and "Pas-
tellr Institutes" seem to thrive.
DIR. John Morris. one OF Baltimore's
leading physicians, n member OF the
state board OF health, and president OF
the society for the prevention OF cruel
~ to animals, holds that hydrophobia,
so FAR az II concerns human bclngB, Is
~nfcvcntablo. In speaking upon the sub
Ject yesterday. DIR. Morris salt that
there Is an effort nov being made by
theorists und medical doctrlnnlreS TO
prove that ~hydrophobIn Is merely II hys-
tero-ncrvouS disorder, generated by
emotion and fear. There never was n
more dangerous doctrine promulgated
In the world than thls," he said. DIR.
Dulles. of Philadelphia, a highly sclen-
tile man, IL the leader OF the movement
on thla side OF the Atlantic, whilst there
Are n few learned men across the sea
who hold similar Views. The London
Lancet mildly favOrs this theory. Tho
truth Is that every old practitioner OF
medicine who, like myself. has seen one
or more cases OF rabies, will testify to
tho positive existence OF this terrible
disease. Go and interview Prof. Mltan-
berger or Prof, a, b, Arnold. and they
viii give YOU their experience, which,
Will be worth something. | read n pa
per on this subject tnever p%ublished) be-
fore Il scientific body, which | now give
you. II would appear that Its, proper
place would be In q medical Journal, but.
as II relates entirely 10 the welfare of
the people, II Will reach them much
morp c~ifectually through your widely
circulated journal. The paper follows:
Derivation OF the Word.
"Hydrophobia. II word derived from
two Greek words-water and fcnf-ls an
unique diScase-a disease Winch stands
By Itself; has Its own character; Its
own n~cculinrities. and resembles no 9TH
er disease known to men. No other af-
tectlon could DO singled out so difficult
10 treat or concerning which one has 80
little to suggest. The literature or the
subject, II not barren. In theory and
facts, Is vague and unsatisfactory In re-
suits. The physician OF to-day knows
no more than his brother who lived and
wrote a hundred years ago. Meade. In
the last century, describes more fully.
and apeRrs to have understood the dis
ease better. than nil Il modern author
tiles. How strange II Is that In all OBJ
scure diseases we have to go back to
search for our knowledge, even as far as
the fons ct nrigo of nil medical truth
and practice. the great father of medi-
cine, H~ippocrates?
II am called on to discuss the ma
ture, treatment and best mode OF pre-
rention OF hydrophobla. To confine my
self 10 the subject, let me first treat OF
the nature OF this peculiar disease. II
hng hpnp hprntpfnrn InltatsaI thnt tka
specific Influence that generates or pro-
duces this particular form OF madness
IL the result OF the entrance into the
system OF the poison OF n rnbld animal.
but eXpericnC" proves that this theory Is
NOT always correct. for numerous cases
are on record In which anger alone was
sufficient to generate the morbid virus
and produce all the phenomena Incl
dental TO true hydrophobia. As said
before, hydrnphdbIa Is d disease en-
tirely unlike every other, though come
OF the symptoms IRE to be founds4h
other forms OF nervous diseases. Ter
rSr ard even Mysteries may In some de-
gree, simulate 1t. but can never be mis-
Taken for hydrOphobia by an accurate
observer. Tho poison. as you all know,
Is contained In the mucus or saliva OF
the rab!d animal. Many animals be-
~ HNNF ~ NhloblE VI lllDt llIE IL
the wolf, the jackal. the fox, the hyena,
the OK. the horse, the ass. the cat. and,
perhaps: other animals. As TO a belief
In cases OF spontaneous hydropIIobln,
many OF which are recorded. much cau-
ton should he exercised. For my own
part, | believe they are entitled TO no
credencc. The poison OF hydrphobia Ia
n specific virus generated under peCu-
liar conditions, and subject to fixed
laws. and Its characteristics are unmIs-
taxable. The question of the communi-
cabllity OF human saliva has also been
debated, and so far no positive opinion
has been clearly obtained. Ny own
Judgment Is that tho secretory ducts
necessary TO generate this poison are
only 10 be found in animals. and not In
the human economy. the experiments OF
Majendic and Brcghat TO the contrary
Notwithstanding. The virus can only
find Jts access TO tho system through an
abrasion or wound. and all stories told
concerning Its Invasion through the
sound cutIcle are mythical or exagger-
ntcd. The accounts related OF persons
having contracted hydrophObia by WHIP
Ing their mouths with linen imprcgnat-
ed by the saliva OF mad dogs are unwOr-
thy OF confidence or YET consideration.
Typical Case Related.
81 will not burthcn you with a tedious
and tircsOme description taken from
books. a single case In my practice IA
typical one, as l conceive In almost
every respect, Will serve for practical
use better than all the authorities.
Herman Keyscr, aged thirty six years.
living at the corner Of Lombard and
Concord streets. was bitten slightly on
tho arm by n favorlte dog In June,
1919. The dog was not known TO be
rnbld at the time, as Ike gave no signs
or madness, ave n little frctfulnesS
and irritation. Mr.. Keyscr called at
my Office. In Gay street. the next day.
ard my associate. DR.. HintZe, who be-
licvcd In the old mercurial plan OF
treatment, placed him under 0 mild
course of mercury. and Cautcri]ea the
wound very slightly with nitrate OF
silver. Under this treatment the
wound healed very. promptly. and Mr.,
keyBer believed himself perfectly well.
lee had no suspicious, no fears. no
fJrcbOdinGs concerning the future.
The dog dhd by strnnEulntio In his
own chain without giving any evidence
Of positive madness. Mr.. Kcyscr en-
j0ycd his usual health for about six
weeks. when he sent for me TO prescribe
for him. He said that he had taken
cold: that the day before. whilst very
warm. he had stopped Mt q pump IN
the street and had drunk n large
braught OF cold water, which had
checked the pcrsplrutlon suddenly and
he had not felt well since: that he Ind
had IL slight chill, and felt a dryncss