The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-22

to Hydrophobia-A Mad Dog nooI not
Froth at tho Mouth, and he Does Not
Dread water-what tho Real Symptoms
arc.
New York Medical Journal: Mr.. John
p. Haines the president Of the Ameri-
can Society for the Prevention of Cru
city to animals, thus concludes an Rrti-
Gle in q recent number OF the society's
periodical, Our Animal Friends:
We have said, and we repeat, that by
drnphobia Is one of the rarest of dis
eases; and that when it appears to be
developed, we believe It, in the vast ma
torlty of cases, to be simulated dis
ease produced by morbid imagination.
We do not go so far as to assert that Il
Is never caused by the bite OF fhpld
animal; and therefore we would advise
that ali proper care should be taken to
destroy, without delay, all animals that
arc affected without rabies Yet, here
again, we must recall the fact that rab-
les itself Is one Of the rarest of all the
diseases with which dogs and other AMI
mails are affected When we hear the
cry of Mad dog!" the chances are mil
lions to one that the dog Is not mad; 1t
is the poopfe who are mad with terror.
When we read the newspaper report OF
the appearance OF n mad dog here or
there, the chances are enormously
against the truth of the story. Yet there
Is such a disease ms rabies; and since
there is no cure for II but death, an ami
mai which is really rabid ought TO be
killed Immediately.
We must remember, however, that The
symptoms OF rabies are not what they
are generally supposed TO be. An anti
NAL for instance, Is not rabid because
1t avoids water; the rabid dog laps wa
ter eagerly So, dog Is not mad be-
cause he froths at the mouth; when he
does so Il Is proof that he Is not mad
The secretion from the mouth OF
really rabid dog IS not froth; 1t IS q
thick, ropy substance, altogether unlike
froth, which the animal tries In vain TO
expel, at which he sometimes tears with
his forepaws, and from which he often
seeks relief by drinking, In view OF
this and other popular mistakes Of the
symptoms of rabies, our society has put
out n leahet, of which We sub1oin a
copy. .
In another article Mr.. Haines says:
What are the DOG Days? They are the
cheated terms In July and August, dur
ing which our dogs are supposed to be
peculiarly liable TO rabies, or canine
madness" That Is one answer, but
there Is better.
There are no dog days, because there
Is no time OF the year when dogs are
specially liable 10 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 diseases. When you hear cry
Of Mad dog!" in the street, the chances
are many thousands to one that the dog
Is not mad. When you read In the
newspapers that somebody has been bit
ten by mad dog the chances are thou
sands to one that II Is not true.
II Il human being is bitten by a mad
dog is he not doomed TO die n fearful
death by hydrophobin2 Not at all Tor
hydrephobIa in n human being Ia much
more rnre than rabies in n dog. Expert
physfctnns who have given the special
attention to tho subject are convinced
that hydrophobia Is never caused by
the bite of a dog, aud that II 10 simply a
hysterical nervous disease, caused by an
unfoupded dread. Don't take that for
granted; but remember these facts'
frat. Tint there arc moro thnn n million
of chances 10 one that any dog which IS
supposed to be mad is not mad Mt All
second, that In all probability any doB
by which a person may happen to De
hilton IA not mad; and third, that oven
IL a person Ia bitten by dog that really
is mad, tho danger OF hydrophoDla ID
very slight indeed.
What is 10 be done II You happen to
no bitten by dog that 10 supposed to
be rabld? The best thing you can do 10
| 10 talte a few vapor baths, 40 hot as you
hear them, The pcrspfratton will cffm-
innto any polson that may have intro
ducod into your system. Then endeavor
Ia forget oil nboul II. II you follow this
simple advice the chances are incnlouI-
nbty great that you VIII be perfectly
safe -,,..
nut fs there Puch It thing as rabies
md guch thing "a mad dog? IN
| doubtedly there IN, though hnVc never
seen one. In the thirty years since the
American Society for the prevention OF
Cruelty 10 Animals was established, our
officers md agents have been constantly
| on the outlook bat no HHdhnblch cnBe
| has ever fallen under their observations
| or WItnln tlltlT hlDMl'ihNi WV w wv
n hundred and sixty thousand dogs and
other small animals which huvo been
! eared for nj our shelter during the past
l throe years, not one single case of rabies
Ina been found. Thesc facts sufficiently
nroyc that rabies u rnrc In this city and
| In this ptntct but there % such u dis
onsc, aud II In important for the public,
| 40 well M yourself that you ehoald
] know whether n nlcl, dog " OF " not
rnbld, II YOU VIII note the following
fapip, you viii have no difficulty You
| win probably md them to be quite dlf-
fofeHt from The popular fnncles by
which most PERSONS are miHlcd
| +, It H sHpPosea that mn1 lop
drcnda winter II lHnul Co. The mad dpg
| IL very like to PLUNGE hia head ta The
cycn In water, though he cnnnUt swallow
| ii aud lnpn II with difficulty
.. n IN supposed that a mud dog runa
about with cvldcnucn OF intense uxclc.
mont. n IN not no. The mad dor never
runs about In ugllutlon, he M always
alone, usually M a strange place, whore
no logs along slowly II no lBnppronehed