The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-24
HAS PAD READY TO
RECORD SYMPTOMS
ARM AND HAND SWOLLEN.
DIR. j. G. LEHARDY TALKS CALMLY
OF DANGER FROM DOG BITE.

Ninth Day Has Passed without Dam
EerOus SymptOms-This Morning
VIII Decide His Fnte-ExpresseG
Himself as Anxious to Learn Feel
inEs of Victim of Rabies-TOl:
Friends They Would See Man Not
Scared If He Had Disease.
I'm all prepared for a critical study
OF the rabies" said Dr. j. c. LeHardy
yesterday to d representative of the
Morning News.
DR.. LeHardy, it will be remembered,
was bitten by dog nine days ago, and
since that time has been watching to
see if the dog was mad or only vicious.
He will know it was if he developes
rabies. If he survives, the dog was
merely vicious. His hand and arm are
bound up in a sling and bandages.
His professional instinct has risen
above self, and it is a certainty that
DR.. LeHardy would enter upon a study
OF a case of rabies. where he was the
patient, as readily as if another were
the victim.
Was the Ninth Day.
You see I've all along been unable
to set clear statement of the earlier
symptoms of the rabies. and I've got
a sad ready upon which l will record
my minutest feelings. 1 want partic-
ularly to note how the malady creeps
upon man. l know that it affects his
brain first. but the interval between
that time and the commissions are a
blank to the profession.
Doctor Is Not Worried.
Should the dog prove to have been
mad, have told my friends they will
see a man who is not scared by the
rabies This is my day for the bow
wow symptoms, but l don't think I'll
bark If they come on me tonight
I'll call you up and snap at you over
the telephone.
Yes, my hand got much worse yes
terday and my arm was swollen. There
was little pain at the time of the bit
ing, and l used my hand all right I'M
til yesterday. | overdid the matter and
used my hand too much. L had to
notice it as you see. My arm is
swelled up. To-day it feels quite com
Portable and I'm not scared.
I've seen cases of rabies in Europe,
and the North and West. They're
dreadful. but most of the symptoms are
due to fear. The foamng at the mouth,
repulsion for water and the barking
are generally due to the knowledge
that the disease is coming. The rigidi-
ty of the jaws and the spasms belong
TO the disease.
Fear Causes the Trouble.
Many of the symptoms are due to
fear In one case l had here, on the
third day the patient had the rabies
symptoms. l succeeded in convincing
that man he couldn't possibly have
the disease then, and he quit showing
the symptoms. I've been here fifty
years and never known a real case
of rabies.
That dog was a real surgeon, and
worked like lightning. His teeth were
as sharp as a knife and l thought
my hand had been cut. When l look
ed down l saw nothing. Then l cast
my eye up the street and saw the dog
trottins along.
Don't get scared. That's the way.
! passed through seven epidemics OF
yellow fever and seven of smallpox,
without catching either disease. l at
tribute that to my fearlessness of
catching it.
Il am far from convinced that the
dog was mad. At this season dogs
are unusually spteful 1 guess the
dog thought my swinging arm was
aimed at him and resented 1t by snap
ping at it. If l am alright to-mor-
row, the danger has past"