The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-06-06
Rabies a Real Disease.

Hartford Comm Times: The case of William
Marsh of Brooklyn is certainly one of the most
remarkable on record. He was never bitten by
mad dog and apparently he had suspicion until the
disease developed that he had been exposed rabies
This practically eliminates the notion that this is
case of simulated rablesthat is, due to hysterical
apprehension Apparently his first thought of the
possibility of his having the disease when he de-
veloped symptoms which his physicians recognized
as those of rabies in an advanced stage.
Only the scientific report of the case will be con-
elusive but the accounts printed in the better New
York newspapers carefully made and generally
free from sensatonaism. 1t is fair to assume that
they really made in the spirit they seek to show.
Put briefly possible, for the benefit of any who
have not read the full accounts it to this:
Mr. Marsh had bull terrier which had been kept
for several years at his factory and office was good
tempered and was loved by those who were familiar
with him About six weeks ago he came in with
wound on his side which did not look so much like
a bite as an injury inflicted by sharp stone or
something of the kind Mr. Marsh himself dressed
the wound. Some time afterwards the dog deve-
oped symptoms of rabies, and was killed on the ad-
vice of veterinary surgeon. Still Mr. Marsh had no
thought of danger for himself. He had not been
bitten and thought of the communication of the
disease in any other way. In TACT the thought does
not seem to have entered his mind until last Saturday.
when he found that he had difficulty in swallowing
and that the muscles of his mouth and throat were
not under full control. He consulted his physician
who him to the Pasteur Institute, and there he
told that he had rabies in a form far advanced
that nothing could be done to check the progress of
the disease 1t had already reached the point at
which it must its and death consid-
cred certain.
Here comes in a fact which is very important in re-
lation to the theory of simulated rabies. Not only
had Mr.. Marsh had no suspicion of the truth until
last Saturday. but when he told his condition he
received the like brave, well-baanced
He asked how much time probably remained to
him. and then he went home and made his arrange
ments accordingly He expressed regret but fear.
In short his conduct not that to be expected from
one who had created his illness by brooding
the possibilities. Thus all that is known favors the
presumption that this is genuine of rabies, free
from the confusing element of fear which has often
been supposed to be the real for shocking
Deaths
The explanation of the contagion seems to be that
in dressing the wound or later, Mr.. Marsh received
some of the virus through cut abrasion his
hand. DR.. William L. Wheeler, one of the physicians
at the Pasteur Institute, says that although such
cases very rare he has the history of two in
this country, and one in France, although neither
came under his personal observation
1t is worth while to call attention to this be-
cause if correctly reported it is devoid of any ee
ment of fear in the patient which has sometimes been
declared to be the only valid explanation of cases of
human rabies. In fact this suggestion has been made
even in the of very young children who certain
y could have such fear unless had been inSt1lled
into them by the injudicious talk of older people.
Those who have studied the records no longer dare
but there still some who at it deuSon.
If the history of Mr.. Marsh's proves to be
correct it is conclusive the existence of the disease
and its conveyance.