Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-09
RABIES REAL, DECLARE DOCTORS
Medical Men Say Disease IL Not of the
Imagination.


Medical Men Say Disease Is Not of the
Imagination.
Rabies Is a real disease, not a phantom |
of the imagination. declare a number Of |
prominent physicians from over the state |
who are in the city attending the meeting |
Of the State Medical association. The same |
physicians are OF the opinion IT is no more !
prevalent now than usual, but they uphold !
the Constant Reader. who in a communica- |
ton to The Bee some time ago suggested /
the muzzling of the family hen by declar- /
ing the disease may be communicated by
chickens, COWS, horses or any other animal.
These are the opinions expressed yesterday
by several of the physicians:
Or. G. H. Brash, secretary Of the State
Board of Health: Whatever may be said
regarding the prevalence Of rabies by the
friends of the much-abused dog. the infec-
ton exists nevertheless. and every precau-
ton should be used against it. 1t is easily
communicable through any abrasion of the
skin The only remedy against ii il in
oculation by the Pasteur method, and II
the infection is taken at its earliest stages
1t can be handled readily. Rabies is not
confined to any season of the year and
can be communicated at any time from the
animal which is affected with It. The ami
NAL that has It will die from its effects
sooner or later. and about the only result
that can ensue from muzzling dogs is the
preventative"
May Prevail Any Time.
DR.. G. H. Hepperlin of Hepperlin's sani-
/ tarium, Beatrice: II do not know that
rabies is more prevalent now than at any
/ previous time. The infection is liable to
break out at any time among animals that
are inoculated by the rabies germ. 1t is
not confined to any particular season. Not
more so in the summer than at any other
time l know that the popular view is that
rabies exist only during the dog days Of
/ August OF the late summer months. This
Is. however, a mistake. The infection may
break out at any time. providing It is COM
municated by an animal already infected
The only cure thus far proving successful
Is Pasteurizing. The mere fact that IN tbs
warm months a dog may be running about
frothinE at the mouth is no Indication
that the animal has the rabies A bit'
from such an animal is not dangerous
unless he should be infected with rabies
Frothing at the mouth or aversion to waite
is no evidence of rabies"
DIR. d. j. Reid, crab Orchard; rabies
like typhoid fever. IL produced FROM tn
rabies germ. It Is, Of course, more readii!
communicated by the carniverous animals
! whose sharp teeth punCture the shlh
whatever animals they may attack tn
infection is given almost precisely as I
injected by a hypordermic needle.
Any Animal May Spread IL.
1T can be communicated by the bite o
any animal whose teeth can cause al
abrasion Of the skin. Even a horse or GOV
can communicate H. So could a chicken
n infected. II It's bite or peck puncture
the skin The disease or infection is no
any more prevalent today than II has al
ways been. It Is. of course. rare, an
the only antidote IL the Pasteur treatment
know II is held by the old-time practition
ers that rabies Is an imaginary diseas
OF infection. but 50 the old-timers though
OF typhoid fever and the typhoid germ
Nevertheless the infection exists and ever
precaution should be taken against Il
Dumb rabies is but latent stage OF III
infection and II is liable at any time
resolve itself into an acute stage. al
disposed 70 think that the infection
more prevalent among wild animals tina
among demonstrated animals from the FAC