Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-07-16
HINTS FOR THE DOG DAYS.
Rabies and Hydrophobia More Quest
tion Of Nerves Than Fact.

August, uuflnB Wnlcn dogs are sup
posed to be peculiarly liable to
rabies, or canine madness" That
is one answer, but there is a better.
There are no dog days, because
there is no time of the year when
dogs are specially liable to rabies
There are no more cases of rabies in
July and August than in December
and January.
Moreover, rabies is one of the
rarest of canine disease. When
you hear a cry of "Mad dog l'' in the
street, the chances are many thou
sands to one that the dog is not
mad. When you read in the news
papers that some one has been bit
ten by mad dog, the chances are
thousands to one that it is not true
If human being is bitten by a
mad dog, is he not doomed to die a
fearful death by hydrophobia? Not
at all for hydrophobia in a human
being is much more rare than rabies
in a dog. Expert physicians who
have given special attention to the
subject are convinced that hydrop-
hCbia is never caused by the bite of
dog, and that it is simply a hy-
sterical nervous disease caused by
an unfounded dread. Don't take
that for granted but remember
these facts first, that there are
more than a million of chances to
one that any dog which is supposed
to be mad is not mad at all second,
that mall probability, any dog by
which a person may happen to
be bitten is not mad and third,
that even if a person is bitten by a
dog that really is mad, the danger
of hydrophobia is very slight in
deed.
What is to be done if you happen
to be bitten by dog that is sup
posed togbe rabid? The best thing
you can do is just to take a few
vapor baths, as hot as you can bear
them. The perspiration will elimi-
nate any poison that the bite may
have introduced into your system
Then endeavor to forget all about
it. If you follow this simple ad-
vice, the chances are incalculably
great that you will be perfectly
safe.
But is there such thing as rabies,
and such a thing as a mad dog?
Undoubtedly there is, though have
never seen one. In the thirty years
since The American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
was established, our officers and
agents have been constantly on the
outlook, but no undoubted case has
ever fallen under their observation
or within their knowledge and, of
over 100, 900 dogs and other small
animals which have been cared for
at our shelter durinA the past three
years, not one single case of rabies
has been found These facts suffi-
GENTLY prove that rabies is rare in
this city and in this state; but there
is such a disease, and it is import
ant for the public, as well as your
self, that you should know whether
a sick dog is or is not rabid. If you
will note the following facts, you
will have no difficulty You will
probably find them to be quite diff
ferent from the popular fancies by
which most persons are misled.
l. tits supposed that mad dog
breads water. 1t is not so. The
mad dog is very likely to plunge his
head to the eyes in water, though he
cannot swallowit and laps it with
difficulty.
2. 1t is supposed that mad dog
runs about with evidences of intense
excitment. 1t is not so. The mad
dog never runs about in agitation
he never gallops he is alway alone
usually in astrange place, where he
jogs along slowly. If he is ap-
preached by dog or man, he shows
no sign of excitement, but when the
dog or man is near enough, he snaps
and resumes his solitary trot
g. If a dog barks, yelps, whines
or growls, that dog is not mad The
only sound a mad dog is ever known
to emit is a hoarse howl, and tha
but seldom. Even blows will moi
extort an outcry from a mad dog
, Therefore, if any dog, under an!
+ circumstances, utters any sothe
7 sound than that of a hoarse howl
/ that dog is not mad.
I A. 1t is supposed that the maS
! dog froths at the mouth. 1t is no
: so. f. a dogs jaws are covered O
hecked with white froth, that dog
is not mad. The surest of all sign
I that a dog is mad is a thick and ropy
brown mucus clinging to his lips
which he often tries vainly to teal
away with his paws or to wash
! away with water.
9, Hyour own dog is bitten by