El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-07-22

Continued from Page .
body Of dog viii fail when dropped
sim and nard like a stick of wood and
this is even more pronounced than is
present in strychnine poisoning, which
latter rigidity soon disappears after
death In hydrophobia decomposition
takes place very rapidly so early bur
ial is indicated in deaths from this
disease
Fits" Not Necessary.
But TO return TO the points by which
rabies may be diagnosed: An animal
does not have TO have fits as the laity
believes, to be affected with rabies, not
even in the maniacal form, and general
commissions with frothing of the mouth
are always late symptoms. in maniacal
rabies the animal becomes extremely
vicious and after the restless period
described already, he makes long ex-
cursions from home attacking every
thing III his way and may travel 100
miles in a night. biting many dogs
that are allowed to run out of the
yard in the night. These animals often
develop rabies and are said never to
have been bitten. Skunks, wolves and
even prairie dogs and chipmunks often
bring the disease into towns and cities
and are the common cause of the dis
ease among our ranchmen and miners.
1t is so common in skunks, that in this
section they are called hydrophobia
cats, under the belief that they trans
nit the disease when not themselves
mad.
a large percentage of the people car
ried to the Pasteur institute at Austin
from this section, have been bitten by
Skunks.
It is a peculiar thing that even, a
bulldog Will show violent fear of
small rabid terrier and this is always
10 be inquired about in suspected cases.
Two points enable a veterinarian to
diagnose rabies: First, ne sees a dog
with dilated pupils acting peculiarly,
looks the dog in the eye steTnly and
then advances toward him suddenly
if mad the dog viii at once attack
him. Advances again and the dog will
be all attention and lower his head
with a characteristic nod and brace
himself to meet the attack He has no
fear and is largely insensible to pain
for he will travel for miles covered
with blood and wounds. The second
diagnosis test is: If a rabid dog is
taken TO a veterinary hospital and
placed under these new and strange
surroundings away from home and his
master the disease develops very rap
idly so that in two hours the diagnosis
Is certain This is an argument against
carrying your patients TO hospital
but as death is certain in this disease
other reasons may decide in favor of
the hospital.
The vocal cords of rabid animal are
paralyzed and thus a peculiar charac-
teristic note Is produced between a
howl and a bark that is harsh and pro-
longed and tends TO haunt one The
course of the disease is rapid, lasting
in dogs not over six or ten days, but
averaging four days.
Hydrophobia Is an all the year round
disease, but more common in March
and in the fall in Texas
Percentage of Prevention.
When a patient comes to you be-
cause Of a bite ne has received it is
highly important to allay his fears for
even If he receives the Pasteur treat
ment and escapes the disease the fright
may leave him a chronic neurasthenic.
Statistics collected by DR.. Worsham
while he was in charge of the Texas
State Hydrophobic institute at Austin
which he founded show that of people
bitten through clothing, 10 percent de-
velop the disease. so percent of those
bitten on the hands, and IS percent Of
lace DlleS- VI those VINO 0aO
only one-fourth of one percent devel
oped hydrophobia. I. e., three Of the
first 400 patients
The Pasteur Treatment.
The Pasteur treatment carries with 1t
absolutely no danger of producing the
disease in doubtful cases, or in patients
bitten by animals actually mad, but al
most absolutely protects the latter from
the development of the virus already
in their system. The method used is
simple and accurate. Delayed cases are
given the intensive treatment and this
is larger doses C13 day cords and IL day
cord, and in the afternoon II and II day
cords are used) The next morning
an Il and 10 day cord and a nine and
eight day in the afternoon. and so by
the third day a seven day cord IS
used.
How Vaccine is Made.
The vaccine in these cords is pro-