West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-08-07
MAD DOG HYsTERiA.
Hydrcphobia q Rare Dlscase--Scicncc
Shows That Rabies Are no More
Prevalent In August Than In
December.

Since the dog days are now IN full bias,
and SO much talk abou, mad dogs and hy-
drophobia, the following staten ent by
John L. iIaines, President of the American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, will be found interesting
"What are the dog daysp They are the
heated term in July aud August. during
which dogs are supposed to bc peculiarly
liable to rabies, or canine madness That
Is one answer but there rs a better. There
are no dog days. because there is no time Of
the year when dogs are especially liable to
rabies. There are no more cases of rabies
in July and Angus, than IN December aud
January. Moreover, tables Is one Of the
rarest Of canine diseases. When You hear a
cry of mad dcep' in the street. the chances
are many thousands To one that the dog Il
no, mad. When you read in The newspapers
that some one has been bitten by q mad
II is not true. II a human being is bitten by
mad dog, is he not doomed To die fear
full death by hydrophoblap Not at all; for
hydrophobia IN a human being is much more
rare than rabies IN dog. Expert physicians
who have given special attention TO the sub.
jeci are convinced that hydrophobia is never
caused 10y the bite Of dog aud that Il is
simply hystercal 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 sup.
posed TO he mad Is not mad at all; second,
that. in all probability, any dog by which a
person may happen to he bitten is not mad;
and third. tina, even IL a person is bitten by
dog that really is mad, the danger Of
hydrophobia is very slight indeed. II you
will note the following facts you will prob.
ably hnd them to be quite different from the
popular fances by which most persons are
mislead. !, is supposed that mad dog
breads water. II is not so. The mad dog
is very likely 10 plunge his head TO the eyes
In water. though he cannot swallow IL, and
laps !, with difficulty. II is supposed that
mad dog runs about with evidences of in.
tense excitement. II Is no, SO. The mad
dog never runs about in agitation; he never
gallops; he Is always alone, usually In n
strange place, where he jogs along slowly.
II he is approached 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 ,rot. II a dog barks. yelps,
whines or growls, that dog is not mad. The
only sound n mad dog Is ever known TO
emit Is hoafse howl and that bu. seldom.
Even blows will not extort an ouicry from
mad dog. Therefore, IL any dog, under any
circumstances, u,icrs any other sound than
that of hoarse howl, that dog Is not mad.
l, is supposed that the mad dog fro,hs at
the mouth. II Is no, So. II dogs Jaws
arc covered or lecked with white fro,h, that
dog IS not mad. The surcst Of all signs that
a dog is mad is thick aud ropy brown
mucous clnging 10 his lips, which he often
tries vainly to tear away with his paws or to
wash away with wafer. II your dog Is Bit
ten by any other dog watch him carefully.
II he is infected 10y rabies, you will discover
Then he will he restless often getting up
only To lie down again, changing his posi-
lion impaticnlly, turning from side to side
and constantly licking or scratching some
particular part Of his head. limbs or body.
lie will be irritable and iuclincd to dash a,
| other animals and hc will sometimes snap at
objects which he nagincs to he near him.
lie will he excessively thirsty tapping water
eagerly and often. Then there will be CLAN.
ular swellipgs about his jaws and throat. If
he can he will probably stray away from
home and tfot slowly aud mournfulIy along
the highway or across the country, meddliug
with neither man nor beast unless they APP
proach him and then giving single snap.
The only exception to this behavior occurs
in ferocious dogs which during the earlier
stage Of excitement may attack any living
object in sight These symptoms Of rabies
are condensed from valua ble information
received from physicians Of undoubied
authority.