Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-06-06
VICTIMS OF HYpRopHoBrA.
Dogs Are Not the Only Animals Sub.
 ject to the Disease,

monumentally tragic and significant 1 as to compel universal fear and at
 tentlon. This Is but a nine days
 town, and the authorities should see
 to it until every wastrel strange stray
 cur in Greater New York is Killed II II takes all summer. Thus alone
 the city can in some degree recom- pense for both its direct and indirect
 responsibility in the death of Mir Marsh.
 Hydrophobia ill man may show in fourteen days or be delayed a year,
 but twenty to sixty days is the com
 mon range of time, when it comes. Rabies is almost always communi-
 eated to man through a mad dogs
 pite by its virulen~ foaming, sticky clabber. The saliva, however, is not alone the seat of venom. Whether
 dead or alive, everything about a mad dog is dangerous. Rabies may De caught from dissecting animals, dread of the disease, and some cases are believed to have come from ani- mals eating flesh of rabid animals. furthermore, the milk of animals and humans is thought to be able to carry the virus. The virus has
 been found still active in a dog
 buried six weeks.
 In the dog, fox, wolf, iackal, deer, cat, COW and skunk it is most frequent, also unhappilyl frequent in man. It has been known to occur In the horse, pig, birds, and other anlmals, never in reptiles, but this great fact persists, that nine-tenths of all cases, whe her of man or ami nal, comes from mad dogs | In dogs the disease is common in Europe and America, and of late years is steadily on the increase in both countries.
 Dogs suffer from furious rabies
 and from dumb rabies. In man the
 disease likewise goes through some what similar stages, but its course is
 greatly modified and changed by
 the medical agents that are admin istered preceding the deadly exo- dus.
 In man the first stage of the furi- ous form marks the entrance of the virus into the brain. The man at first is melancholia, sad and listless to things, people and surroundings, and prefers quiet and solitude; has constant. severe headaches; sleep broken and fitful from dreams and nightmares. Some cases, though, are historically lively. Whether there be any scar or not, pains at the place of entrance of poison is one of the first, if not the earliest symptoms. This pain usually spreads upward from the hand or downward from the face, and centers in the back of the neck. AS the case deepens the throat and chest signs stalk tragically to the front. Diff culty of swallowing water, wine, or whiskey being foremost sympt oms. The victim, in trying to swallow. has scary, strangling, choking feel ing. The look of the mans face shows fear and anguish. When wa ter is forced upon him he reaches out jerkily and clutches the glass. The eyes get set and fixed. The jaw tightens, the nostrils stretch. The glass is brought to the mouth in jerks, he leans forward to gulp, then the heart and chest spasm be- gins. The head is drawn backward. the face becomes set and rigid; the breathing stops; then there comes a sigh, and the patient is calm and re- faxed until the next spasm
 The spasm starts from the sound or sight of water. from a bright l light, or from a cold draught. The patient may jump from the bed and violently and repeatedly strike his head against the wall or bed posts. l but rarely attempts to bite except 1 when held. On the contrary, usual | ly warns friends away. fearing to harm them. Has no desire 10 talk, ! and is very hOarse. and when cry ing aloud makes noise not unlike 1 the bark of a dog Death some ! times occurs at this stage, but usual ly deepens into profound paralysis. | then death. The last stage usually | lasts hut few hours.
 Blind rabies in man usually be- gins with numhness, weakness, and !. clumsiness in the part bitten. Pa ] ralysis sets in and extends over the whole body before death. Dumb 1. rabies usually last from three to five . days. i
 Rabies may be mistaken for lock- jaw. hysteria. delirium tremens, ly- 1 sophobia. or imaginary rabies. but . in the imaginary form the trouble . lasts too long to he mis aken for . the real thing itself
 Tn furious rabies the brain is most affected: in dumb rabies the spinal cord is the main seat of the disease.
 The dog. in furious rabies. in the early stage, may be inoffensive to family and friends. but in day or . two ferocious instincts develop. and irrepressible desire to snap and bite . and fly at everything in sight The , dogs eyes are wild, red. and star 1 ing, emitting flashes of haleful light . when not dull and heavy. Such mad . dogs appear SO fierce as tO strike . terror in all behOlders. The beast . has an alert cruelty. wTinkled fore head. hair of serum. and back stand . ing on end. wi;h mouth asnap and teeth showing. with. lips drawn and . covered by a sticky. tough. tenacious . foam. usually on the run, barking hoarsely. characteTistically. 10 add to the deadly aspect of the venomous . beast. This furious excitement of movement and energy Is succeeded . by temporary exhaustion. Then it remains quiet and seemingly harm . less hut all al once comes another 1 paroxysm of running fury. Many dogs have instinct to shun their mad mates
 The most striking thing to be seen