The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-14
SOME DOC FACTS.
HydrOphObia as Discussed by
Noted Physicians.
Rarely if Ever Appears in
Human Beings.

There is at least one hydrophObia
scare in Topeka every year The pres
ent one has commenced earlier than
usual and Il has resulted in q drastic
ordinance concerning dogs. The or
dinance is so extreme that it has
aroused 2 storm OF protest
In this connection the following
open letter from the American Anti
vivisectfon society on '-Hydrophobia
as Simulated Disease viii be inter
esting:
We have observed with regret num-
erous sensational stories concerning al
legged mad dogs and the terrible results
10 human beings bitten by them. which
are published from time 10 time in the
nswspa pers- Such accounts Trighteu
people into various nervous disorders
and cause brutal treatment of animals
suspected Of madness. and yet there is
upon record a great mass OF testimony
from physicians asserting the extreme
rarity Of hydrOphObia even in the dog.
while many medical men Of wide exper-
fence are OF the opinion that if il de-
velOps in human beings at all IL IS only
on extremely rare occasions; that the
condition of hysterical excitement in
man described by newspapers as hydro
ph0bia' IS merely q series OF symptoms, 4
due usually 10 q dread Of the disease. /
such dread being caused by realistic
Newspaper and other reports acting
upon the imaginations of persons
scratched or bitten by animals suspect /
OF rabies.
The late DR.. Hiram Corson. whose /
practice extended over period ofseven- !
ty years. during which time ne searched /
diligently for the disease in man or ami /
nal says: I have never had a real case
OF hydrophObia-F
Corson. accurate in observation. careful I
in statement, and whose practice also
extends over a long period says: 1
have never had case of hydrophobia,
nor have I ever seen case in the prac-
tice Of other physicians
DR. Matthew Woods who has been /
In quest OF the disease for twenty years,
and who during two summers personally
visited every case reported il Philadel-
pEia, says he never saw hydrophobfa
either in man or animal. and although.
six years ago, at the conclusion of a
paper on the subject read before a
large audience. he offered 800 10 any
person bringing him such a patient. yet !
go far no one has claimed the reward
Dr. Woods furthermore adds that. al
though he has questioned many ply
sicians on the subject he has not yet /.
found one who has ever seen hydro
phobia either in man or animal
At the Philadelphia dog pound
where on an average. over 5000 vagrant
dogs are taken up annually. and where
the catchers and keepers are frequently
bitten Wnile handling them. not one
case OF hydrophobia has occurred dur
ing its entire history Of twenty-five
years. in which time about $50. 600 dogs
were handled
The welI-known specialist. DR.. Ed
ward c Spitzka. professor OF medical
Jurisprudence and of the anatomy and
OF the nervous system in the
New York Post-Graduate School of
Medicine, and president OF the New
York Neurological society, says: Much
OF the observation Of suspicious dogs is
made through optics disturbed by fear.
and by persons incompetent 10 interpret
what they see Notwithstanding every
effort he continues, made by the
writer to secure the observa ton OF
rabies in man OF dog. not q single op-
pOrtunity has offered itself during the
last eight years (the period of his OBJ !
Eervatfon)-
The record OF the London hospital a |
Few years ago showed 2.66S persons bit ,
ten by angry dogs None OF them de- !
veloped hydrOphObia St. Georges hos )
pital. London. records AGO persons bit :
ten by dogs supposed 70 have been mad. =,
No case OF hydrophObfa-
In the record OF all the diseases which
have occurred at the Pennsylvania hos
DitaI in one hundred and forty wears I
lnly two cases which were supposed TO
be hydrophobia have occurred One OF 9
-hese. however. the only one submitted Z
10 meteorological test did not confirm 9