The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-06-17
ABOUT MAD DOGS.
They Never Frcth at the Mouth Nor
Fave Bloodshod Eyes.

y l. - ~
Fave Bloodshod Eyes.
HARMLESS IN FIRST STAGES.
A Good Rule Is Always to Turn
Out for a Dog that Won't
Turn Out for
You.
The following article from the New
York Journal on mad dogs will be
read with interest by our readers:
'Nine5y-nine out of hundred peo-
pie don't know mad dog when they
see one The very symptoms which
they believe indicate rabies are the
surest tests that dog is not mad"
DR.. James McDonough,, Of the
Watching Kennels, who Invited the
school children of Montclair. n. j., to
visit his dog sanitarium last Saturday
and observe from a safe place the ac-
lions Of a dog in the second and final
stage OF robes. made this statement:
In all my experience" said the doc
tor, ''and I have been treating dogs
for fifteen years, I have never seen a
mad dog froth at the mouth. On the
contrary, the mouth Of a dog that is
really rabid is dry and parched. Neither
have l ever seen dog with rabies
rush about like the dogs we read about,
with head lowered and eyes bloodshot,
swapping and biting at everything
with which he comes in contact.
THE real mad dog seldom attacks
unless he is interfered with. I have
followed mad dog over country
road and seen him trot by within two
inches O. people who were quietly con-
yersing, not knowing that the animal
was mac
The sudden hot weather having re-
vived the fear of mad dogs, an Ameri-
can reporter visited Mr. McDonough
at his dog sanitarium in Montclair,
and asked him about the prevalence of
rabies and the manner in which the
danger may be averted.
DR.. M3Donough smiled as be replied:
Il can speak only for Montclair and
I am most positive that there is no
epidemic of rabies here. 1 don't be-
lieve there is rabid dog in this town.
l have cne-dog here in my sani5arium
that l am keeping under observation.
He is very active and might bite you
if you got too close to him: but l don't
believe he is mad.
There is a great popular miscon-
ception on the question of rabid dogs.
l firmly believe that if the public were
properly educated in the observance Of
dogs the cases Of rabies would be fewer
than they are at present. And rabies
is rare: disease at that
Il think it desirable that the sum
of information among the people be
increased regarding dogs, both for the
purpose of insuring greater safety to
the people and for the prevention Of
the slaughter of a great number Of
pets who do not merit death.
Let me tell you the symtomS Of
rabies. There are two stages of the
disease. In the first the dog is rest
less and uneasy. He can't keep still.
He shifts about from one place to
another, has a hacking cough and to-
ward the end Of the first stage begius
to bite titfully at the seat Of inocula-
tion, wherever it may be.
''.rhis stage lasts for from twenty
four to thirty-six hours, during which
time the dog is absolutely harmless.
Any one who has been educated to
observe these symptoms can detect
rabies at once in the dog. I have
often thought that nature has made
this provision in.order that sufficient
warning of the approach Of rabies may
be given before the dog becomes dan
gerouS.
We'll, it is only after the dog has
passed from the first to the second
stage Of the disease that he becomes
dangerous. And even with regard to
the second, or violent stage, there is
great popular misconception.
"a general rule to follow with re-
gard tc all dogs is this: Always turn
out for dog that won't turn out for
you: # you follow that rule you will
be comparatively safe from any rabid
dog That comes your way.
When the dog passes into the Sec
ond stage of rabies he becomes still
more restless. It is then that they
wander of. They do not go at a rapid
pace, they do not froth at the mouth,
their eyes do not become bloodshot.
Perhaps they hang their heads--all
sick dogs do that-and they run until
they drop from exhaustion, stopping
by fits and starts to rest, but never
being able to rest long because the
nervous tension Of the disease keeps
them going. II not intercepted and
killed they will finally fall dead. I
have seen them wear their toe nails
to the quick.
During this time they will bite
things that come in their way. Un-
derstaad that. But they will not go
out of their way to attack anything
Here is an illustration out Of my
own experience. 1t happened right
here in Montclair An inoifensive-
looking dog sauntered along the street,
attracting no attention whatever. In
appearance, to the unpracticed eye,
he resembled any other healthy dog.
\ little child got in its way, and the
dog threw the child down and bit her.
"a crowd gathered, but no attempt
was made to stop the dog. No cry OF
mad Cog was raised. l happened to
pass and stopped to make inquiries
,xl "a child bod honn