Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-03-12
Rabies.

Inc following is from circular
sent out by the Kansas Experiment
station:
Rabies does not occur most fire.
quently during hot weather, as is gen.
orally believed, the greatest losses
occurring during the fall and spring,
put 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
losses are frequent and severe.
RABIES Is disease of the nervous
system that is transmitted from one
animal to another by direct inocula-
ton through a wound, usually a bite
from rabfd animal. 1t is possible
that food or water contaminated by
an animal affected with rabies may in
feet animals having sores in the
mouth or digestive tract, or the in
1ected saliva being deposited upon an
open wound or irritated mucous mem
brane may cause the disease.
The disease as observed during the
year 1902 was among cattle, except
in one instance, where two horses
died. The loss among the cattle
varied from five to twenty-seven head.
In one herd of sixteen head, eleven
died from rabies. In four out of the
seven outbreaks reported, dog sup
posed to 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 continue to develop the disease
for from eight to ten weeks after the
first case occurs.
The symptoms vary considerably
even among cattle. The affected an
1mal becomes nervous and excited, in
many cases vicious, attacking persons
and smaller animals, particularly. In
some instances they will dash at
person but suddenly stop a few feet
away. There is a peculiar wild or
vacant stare. Affected cattle will often
push and maui other animals in the
herd, and there is a tendency to lick
the genital organs of other cattle. AS
the disease progresses they become
more excited and will often emit
hoarse below frequently or almost
continuously. 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 wobbling, uncertain gait,
ana later the hind quarters give way
and the animal is unable to rise. In
a few cases the animals will fall in
convulsions. In all cases animals
will eat and drink water until paraly-
sis OF the throat makes it difficult or
impossible. There is frequent shak-
Ing and swinging of the head and
opening OF the jaws, with dripping of
a ropy or frothy saliva from the
mouth There is a tendency for rabid
animals to eat dirt, dung, stocks, etc.
Post-mortem examination shows no
signs OF disease, although the body is
unusually stiff and rigid and the stom-
ach contains dirt and other foreign
material. There is no treatment for
rabid animals, as death always occurs
Affected animals should be isolated,
or destroyed at once to put them out
of misery, and to prevent possible in
fection of others. Water tanks and
managers should be emptied and thor
oughly disinfected by using a strong
solution of concentrated lye, or a five
per cent solution of carbolic acid.
Food contaminated with saliva should
be burned. Suspected dogs should be
destroyed. Persons should exercise
utmost caution to avoid being bitten
or infected through wounds on the
hands while caring for infected ami
mails.