The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-02
HYDROPHOBIA.


sas State Agriculture College has issued
| the following bulletin:
Rabies, commonly called hydrophobia.
| has been usually common among the
! cattle in Kansas at least seven outbreaks
| having been reported during the past
year Rabies does not occur most frequ-
| emily during hot weather, as is generally
believed, the greatest losses occurring dur
ing the fall and spring. but 1t may occur
at any season of the year. The disease
seems to appear periodically. some years
no outbreaks being reported, and other
years the loses are frequent and severe.
Rabies is a disease of the nervous
system that is transmitted from one
animal to another by direct incubation
through a wound, usually a bite from
rabid animal II is possible that food or
water contaminated by an animal effec-
ted with RABBITS may infect animals having
sores in the mouth or digestive tract,
or the infected saliva being deposited
upon an open wound or irritated mucous
membrane may cause the disease.
The disease, as observed during the past
year, has been among cattle, except in
one instance where two horses died. The
loss among cattle has varied from five
to twenty-five head. In one her of six
teen head, eleven died from rabies.
In four out of seven outbreaks reported
a dog supposed 10 be rabid was known to
have bitten or been among the affected
cattle. The disease usually occurs in
from five to ten days after the animals
are bitten and, among cattle. they may
contiue to develop the disease for from
eight to ten weeks after the first case
occurs.
The symptoms vary considerably among
cattle. The affected animal becomes
nervous and excited. in many cases vici-
GUS attacking persons and smaller amin
ais particularly. In some instances they
will dash at a vacant stare Affected
cattle will often push and maui other
animals in the herd. and there is a tend
ency to lick the genital organs Of other
cattle. AS the disease progresses. they
become more excited and will often emit
a hoarse below frequently or almost con-
tinuously. In many cases there is often
violent straining as If to pass dung. the
rectum often being everted. Paralysis
often occurs and is first noticed in a
webbing, uncertain gait and later the
hind quarters give way and the animal
IS unable to rise. In a few cases the
animals will fail in commissions. In all
cases animals will eat and drink until
paralysis of the throat makes IL difficult
or impossible. There is frequent shak-
ing and swinging OF the head and open
ing of the jaws. with dripping OF ropy
or frothy saliva from the mouth. There
Is q tendency for rabid animals TO eat
dirt. dung sticks. etc.
Post-mortem examinations show no
signs OF disease although the body is
unusually stiff and rigid and the stomach
contains dirt and other foreign material
There is no treatment for rsbid animals
as death always occurs. Affected ami
mails should be isolated or destroyed at
once TO put them out OF misery and TO
prevent possible infection OF others. Wa
ter tanks and managers should be emp
tied and thoroughly dsssnfscted by using
a strong solution Of concentrated I've
or FIVE per cent solution Of czrbo.ic
acid. Food contaminated with saliva
should be burned. Suspected dogs should
be destroyed Persons should exercise
utmost caution 70 avoid being bitten
or infected through wounds on the hands
while caring for infected animals
Persons knowing OF rabies are asked
TO report to the Veterinary Department.
Experiment. Station. Kansas State Agri-
culture College. giving al the inforrza-
ton possible regarding the outbreak. as
a future bulletin Is contemplated treating
the disease in detail