The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-12-21
FEAR IN HYDROPHOBIA
IMAGINATION OFTEN CAUSES FATAL
RESULTS FROM DOG BITES.

wv
Caused by the Terror Inherited From
superstitious Ages - Rabies q Disease
which T. Extremely Rare-Pitifal Case
of John II. Besrt, OF Chicago.
The death OF John Il. Beard, at 5l2I
that has been dwelt upon for years 10y
physicians ana surgeons. says the Chi
cago Inter-ocean. Mr.. Beart in An
gust last had struggle with a bull.
dog. and was bitten in three places
The struggle in itself was Of "A charac
say nothing OF the multilation 10y the
dog. Upon examination IL was shown
that the dog was not affected with
rabies. Mr.. Beart recovered from the
immediate effects of the struggle and
returned 10 work. But week ago he
was taken i'll. and grew steadily worse
10 the end. Those in attendance be-
lieve that he died OF fear OF hydro
phobia.
There Is no dispute rs TO the maiu
facts in the case. The dog that NJ.
tackled Mr.. Beart did not have any dis
ease. Mr. Beart had no symptoms Of
hydrophobla. but he lived for months
In horror OF the most dreaded of dis.
eases. and this resulted in conditions
that caused death.
If the dog that made the attack OH
Mr.. Beart had been killed, as is usual
in such cases, the case would undoubt.
edly have been catalogued in the by.
drophobia list. AS the case stands, II
gives strength to the theory that a
great many of the so-called cases OF
rabies are produced solely 10y fear.
Without discussing any OF the theo-
ries as 10 rabies advanced In recent
years, IL may be safely asserted that
the disease itself is extremely rare. In
forty years in Paris there were report.
cd only ninety -four cases Of hydro
phobia. In the whole OF France. with
population Of 36,0O0.000, there Were
reported In six years 10I cases. In.
vestigation showed that not more than
five per cent. of persons bitten by
rabid dogs became hydrophobic. In
the city OF New York there were re-
ported in six years twenty-five cases
Of hydrophobia. The number OF deaths
is not reported.
Those who have made close investi-
cation have arrived at the conclusion
that whore any heavy clothing covers
the part bitten, there is little danger,
even from the most raDld dog. But
the belief that the bite of hydro
phobic dog is necessarily fatal and
that death comes in horrible way IL
so common that man bitten by any
dog gives his imagination free rein aud
suffers such mental torture as TO make
him prey to other forms Of disease.
Dogs are subject TO so many diseases
regarding which the majority of pco-
pie have absolutely no information
that even the most harmless animals
are regarded with suspicion. Even n
dog that has lost It's master on the
street often becomes so excited that
pedestrians call on policemen 10 shoot
it.
Certain diseases common to the dog
family are manifested in convulsions
or fits. and by the ignorant dog SO
afflicted is pronounced mad and treat
ed accordingly. A dog trained 10 high
spirit and pugnacity sometimes turns
from conflict with another dog TO
bite the man who interferes. That dog
Is forthwith pronounced mad and the
wound Is cautcrizcd. whereas If the
bite were by n cat or horse no Mt
tentiop would be paid to II and no
alarm would be felt
The dog is more closely associated
with men, women and childlen than
any other animal. 1t Is trained 10
watchfulness, TO resistance. to attack
and defense, and at the same time II
Is expected to observe many Of the
amenities Of life disregarded by men
and women. If dog mopes with a
distemper. or exhibits any symptom OF
any common disease. IL is treated rs
mad dog. and often in way TO push
the poor brute TO the extremity OF fury.
Thousands Of people In the country
districts are bitten by dogs every year,
and no thought is given to the mat
ter. Those engaged In training dogs
are bitten frequently, and they think
no more OF the slight hurts than the
hostler who is nipped by a horse
thinks OF his bruises or wounds. II
the city a bite by any dog becomes
the subject Of such anxiety as TO In
duce absolute fear.
The truth Is that the bite OF dog
is no more harmful than the bite or
scratch OF n cat or the bite Of horse,
but the people OF this day have Ia.
herited from superstltious ages such
horror Of the word hydrophobia that
the dog which Is at once the pet OF
children and the terror Of burglars In
It's health usually finds no commisera-
tion or even human consideration In
its Illness.
Apology.