The Washington herald., 1908-04-26

from the swollen, darkened appearance Of
the tongue following. its extTusion from
paralysis OF the lower jaw.
LyAsOphObia.
Many educated men. including some
physicians, claim that all cases Of hydro
phobia in the human family are the re-
suit OF wrought-up nervous excitement
due to fear on the part of the patient.
While at times these symptoms. termed
Iyssophobia, do occur IN neurotic indi
viduals who have been bitten by healthy
dogs. they are always hysterical in ma
ture. cause no organic LESSONS. and uni
versaIly terminate in recovery. Thus
lyssophobia is entirely distinct from the
real disease, which is universally fatal
70 the human being.
Spontaneous Rabies.
In many instances the origin of an out
break Of rabies is difficult to trace. This
has given rise to the opinion that the
disease may appear in the dog sponta-
neously. that It IS an intrinsic part of his
being which may crop out at any time
under various extraneous conditions. This
is as impossible as it would be for typhoid
fever. tuberculosis. or any other infec-
tious disease to develop spontaneously.
Rabies Is an infectious disease and can
be produced only by inocuiation with the
specific virus which causes it, This spe-
cihc virus is present IN the saliva Of ami
mails affected with the disease and is
transmitted to other animals and per-
sons by the saliva on the teeth OF such
animals.
Skepticism as 10 Existence of Rabies.
In spite of all the work that has been
done on rabies there are still many per-
sons, including some medical men, who
are skeptical regarding or absolutely dis
believe the existence Of this disease.
Some physicians say that they have been
practicing fifteen. twenty, or thirty
years and have never seen a case; but
this proves nothing. During the past
fifteen years but three cases of the dis
ease have occurred in human beings In
Washington, D. C. It can be readily
seen. therefore. that onIy a small per-
centage of the medical practitioners
would see them.
Others have advanced the statement
that in Constantinople, where there are
more dogs than in any other place of
equal area in the world, rabies is un-
known This statement has been dis
proved by Remlinger, director of the I'm
periaf meteorological Institute. in that
city. who reports many cases OF the dis
ease in Constantinople and adjoining
provinces. But even IL It were a fact, IT
Is no more remarkable than the fact that
in London, where there are more people
than in any other place of equal area in
the world, bubonic plague is unknown,
which feet. however, is not remarkable
at all. Il simply means that the specific
cause Of the disease is not present in that
particular locality.
Any person in the United States can see
cases of rabies In one or more species of
domestic animals If he will get In COM
municatlon with veterinarians. health Of
fieers, or laboratories where the disease
Is constantly being found. With the in
creasing frequency Of the disease in the
United States and the characteristic
microscopic changes which can be con-
stantly demonstrated, together with the
fact that many prominent investigators
have been writing on the subject lately.
especially In reference to the Negri
bodies. there appears to be less skeptI-
cism in regard to the disease.