The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-06-19
ABOUT MAD DOGS.
They Never Froth at the Mouth Nor
Have Bloodshod Eyes.
HARMLESS IN FIRST STAGES.

a Good Rule Is Always to Turn
ont,tor Dog that Won't
Turn Out >for
The following article from the New
York Journal on mad dogs will be
read with interest by our readers:
Ninety-ninc out Of hundred peo.
pie don't know a mad dog when the,
see one. The very symptoms which
they belieye indicate rabies arc the
surcst tests that-a dog is not mad"
DR.. James McDonough, of tho
Watching Kennels, who invited the
school children Of Montclair, N. j., to
visit his dog sanitarium last Saturday
and observe from q safe place the ac-
tions Of a dog in the second and final
stage or robes, made this statement:
n al. my experience" said the doc
tor, and / have been treating dogs
for fifteen years, ! 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 parchcd. Neither
nave l eyer seen a dog with rabies
rush about like tho dogs we read about,
with head lowered and eyes blopdshot,
nappin!Hrr and biting at everything
with which Ia" comes in contact.
The real mad dog seldom attacks
unless lie is intcrfcrcd with. have
followed a mad dog over country
road and seen him trot by within two
inches of people who were quietly con.
verSing,,nOt knowing that the animal
was mad
The sudden hot weather having re-
vivcd the fear Of mad dogs, an Ameri
can reporter visited Mr.. MIoDonough
at his dog sanitarium in NIontclair,
ond asked him about the prevalence of
rabies and the manner in which the
danger may be avcrtcd
Or. McDonouEh smiled as he replied:
! can speak only for Montclair and
| am most positive that there is no
epidemic of rabies here. l don't be-
licve there is rabid dog in this town.
| lave one dog here in my sanitarium
that am keeping under observation.
ne is very active and might bite you
II you got too close to him; but don't
believe he is mad.
Iherc Is a great popular miScon-
ccption on the question of rabid dogs.
| hrmly believe that If the public were
properly educated in the observance of
dogs tile cases OF rabies would be fewer
: It,harstiae are at present.. And rabies
- Hssaasa.a tl,a tsss-s3sssss
Hitnk1lG: desirable that the sum
OF information among the people be
increased regarding dogs, both for the
purpose of insuring greater safety to
The people ana for the prevention IF
the slaughter Of 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. lie can't keep still
lie shifts about from one place to
another, has a hacking cough and to-
ward the end Of the first stage begins
TO bite titfully at tile seat OF inocula-
tion, wherever it may be.
This stage lasts for from twenty
Tour to tbirty-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. have
often thought that nature has made
thiS provision in order that sufficient
warning of the approach Of rabies may
he given before the dog becomes dan
gerOuS.
Well, 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 to all dogs is this: Always turn
out for a dog that wont turn out for
you: f you follow that rule you will
be comparatively safe from any rabid
dog that comes your way.
When the dog passes into the sec
ohd Stage Of rabies he becomes still
more restless. 1t is then that they
wander Off. They do not go at rapid
pace, they DO not froth at the mouth,
their eyes do not become bloodShot.
l,eriapS they hang their heads all
SICK dogs DO thaL-and they run until
Ihcy drop from exhaustion, stopping
by hts aud 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 fill dead l
have seen them wear their toe nails
to the quick.
During this time they will bite
things that come in their way. I'm
dcrstand that. But they will not go
out OF their way to attack anything.
Here is an Illustration out of nv
own experience. 1t happened right
mere IN Montclair. An inoiTensive-
looking dog salmtcrcd along the street,
attracting no attention whatever. In
appearance, to the Impractical eye,
ne reScmbled any other healthy dog.
a little child got in its way, and the
dog threw the child down and bit her.
~ crowd gathered, but no attcm pt
was made to stop the dog. No cry of
mad dog was raised. | happened to
pass and stopped TO make inquiries
and learned that the child had been
bill ten. gotta description of The ami
NAL and started after him in my
wagon.
lialf hour later my attention was
attracted to dog on the outskirts Of