Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-04
HYDROPHOBIA TREATMENT
How the North American Indians Cured
Victims of the Disease.
An Interesting Contribution to the
Remedies for Canine Rabies
by DIR. Pope.

AS IS wen known to physicians verSed In
the history of medicine, the literature of
canine rabies is very extensive and COM
plete. dating from the earliest historical
ages and among nearly all the various
races and nations of the earth.
The disease has been observed and de-
serlbed by the early Greek and Roman
poets philosophers and observation-disclosures,
Eneas, Lucan. Petronius, Aurelianus, DEM
ocritus. Aristotle, Asclebiades, CELSIUS, Dios-
cer1des. Hippocrates, Galen and Avicenna
the Arabian.
illusions and descriptions are also found
among the early poets and writer's of the
sacred mysteries of Egypt, Persia and
India. Severe and frequent epidemics Of
thls disease fmong wolves. foxes and dogs
have prevailed from time to time ever since
the thirteenth century throughout different
countries in Europe-France, Spain. Italy,
Germany, Russia, Denmark and Hungary
IN the West Indies. and in the early part Of
TINS century on this continent In the Can
adas and few of the western sta les, not
ably Ohio.
AS to treatment. all possible modes, in
ternal and external, that the superstitions
OF mankind could evolve or the invention
OF mankind apply, have been employed with
various degrees of success and failure. The
materia medica has been ransacked, but
notwithstanding the great advance of med
ical science at the present day, the true
nature of this disease is as great a mystery
as ever, and in all human probability WILL
ike the true nature of many other diseases,
continue to remain a profound mystery till
the end of time.
In your issue of 9th July the so-called
Buisson treatment of hydrophobia is de-
scribed- To well-informed members of the
medical profession the principle involved
has been known from the earliest times
among different races and nations. 1t was
called the 'sudorific or sweating treatment"
n ha hDa Nlfn1f y,
tism. tetaLus Qockjaw), &c, often with
brilliant results, and in this disease also
with many striking cures in early and re-
cent times.
The Indian Method.
To those who may be interested in the
subject 1 will relate the plan of treatment
practiced among many of the aboriginal
Indian tribes of the Canadas and north
west, as was described to me many years
ago by the distinguished Indian writer and
traveller, Henry r. Schoolcraft, whom 1
knew by Stanley, the well-known Indian
artist; by other Indian travellers, and in
particular by my father, who was student
and practitioner of medicine more than sew
enty years ago with his uncle, DR.. Willard
smith, the most eminent surgeon in that
day in Buffalo. N. Y. Both these men were
thoroughly acquainted with the mode of
treating various diseases prevalent among
the remnants of the aboriginal tribes in the
Canadas and western New York. Hydro
phobia WIS not Of infrequent occur
renee among these Canada and Mag
ara Indians, residents and soldiers on the
border, in that early day. The treatment OF
that disease among the Indians was mainly
as follows:
AS soon as the bitten Indian began to
feel the first symptoms of the disorder
manifested by more or less stiffness of
the muscles of the jaws and neck, with
dryness OF swelling of the throat, pit
in INIT ItSid Six nierHf
feet square by two feet deep; great num-
Der of large cobblestones were thrown
in and a big fire kindled over them. When
the stones were red hot, the cinders and
ashes were raked out, and a large guam
tity of spruce and juniper boughs thor
oughly wet were laid over the stones to
the depth of the pit Sometimes gypsum
weed (Satura stramonium) or water hem
lock leaves were mixed with them. The
Indian was stripped, wrapped up in blanket
and stretched himself on the pile, q great
quantity of additional boughs were laid
over him, leaving his head out, or some
times long hollow reed was placed in his
mouth. so ne could breathe with head COW
cred Buckets of water were thrown on
the pile, which, trickling down to the hot
stones, evolved vast volumes of steam,
mingled with the liberated volatile es-
sences of the spruce, juniper, etc. (the
juniper acting profuseiy on the kidneys).
At the same time tea Of Indian tobacco
Uobetia Infiata) was given him to drink
in small and frequent doses. short OF vom-
iting. This Lobelia produced great nausea
and complete relaxation of every muscle
in the body. There is no remedy in the
whole materia medica capable of safely
producing complete relaxation Of the mus
cular system like this. 1t is often seen
among boys and young men in their first
experience with smoking or chewing to-
bacco. Strong red pepper tea was also
sometimes given to control too great nau-
sea. The sweating was simply tremen-
IL ,,r,1 +tav, fha tayf wa .
of his bath, which was continued for three
or four hours, according to the severity
of the case, he was limp as wet rag and
scarce able to move a finger or even to
wink. He was then wrapped in dry blank
cts. laid on his cot, a little whisky and
red pepper tea given and he would sink
into a quiet sleep for twelve or even TWEEN
ty-four hours. wake up and often express
himself as feeling better than ever before
in the whole course of his life.
This peculiar result has been witnessed
in thousands of cases of vomiting and re-
taxation from lobelia given for other dis
eases.
Sometimes one bath would be sufficient
to cure the case, other cases required sew
eral baths repeated every day, for several
days, or two or three times a week for
fortnight or more. Doctor Smith stated
that he never saw a case fail to be cured
where the baths were applied in time. The
Indians also applied this treatment with
entire success in cases of traumatic teta-
nus (lOCkJ2W), dS wen DIS Ot'ici oiSCe~'So
Chloroform choral, ether. etc. were UNI
known in that day, and 1t is still a question
among many eminent physicians whether
they are really of any use in hydrophobia,
as they only partially relieve pain. and
sometimes hasten the fatal termination;
as for jaborandi. it merely stimulates free
sweating ard has no marked effect In pro-
ducing muscular relaxation. an important
factor in the treatment of these terrible
diseases. Some inexperienced physicians
lose their heads in attempting to manage
such cases; they pour in their chlorofornl,
ether, choral. morphine, atropine bromldes
and curare. by hypcderms, or otherwise.
In a helter-skelter manner, regardless or
ignorant of the fact that some of these
remedies antidote each other, and the re-
suit, so far as any relief or cure is
cerned Is either nil or speedy exhaustion
of the system. Like poor marksmen. de-
termined 20 hit the bulrs-eye at all haz-
ards, they load their guns with slugs, bull
lets, nails. buck-shot and snipe shot, and
blaze away.
As to Conformation.
In regard to cauterization, so essential
In placing any case on a comparatively
70 footfpU ha outSof phvsicia u-aJI