El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-10
No Doubt Now Concerning :.
Hydrophobia Being Genuine
Imaginary Cases Have Been Found Highly People
But the Real Cases Leave No Doubt.

"HE controversy as to whether or
not dogs actually go mad per-
haps will be ended The public
health and marine hospital service
has declared that it will enter into no
controversy with those who hold that
rabies is only an imaginary disease,
but that if those who so hold are fair
minded and possess even an average
amount of intelligence, and will visit
the laboratory where scientific work
In this direction is being done it will
suffice to dispel all their doubts
Speaking of the theory often adj
vanced that rabies is merely an i'm
aginary condition, DR.. John r. Mohler
OF the federal bureau of animal in
dustry says that there are frequent
cases of imaginary rabies, but that
these invariably disclose the fact that
they are such, and that no physician
ever mistakes such a case for a real
one, at least for any length of time.
He tells the story of a young man who
was employed as a clerk in a dry
goods store. and was bitten on a Sat
urday morning by a watch dog belong
ing to his proprietor
An Imaginary Case.
The bite was slight was immediate
~ cauterized and no further attention
was given to it until the following
Wednesday morning. when the young
man tainted at the counter Upon
reviving he said that he had been
reading about rabies and the symptoms
which would develop in man from the
bite of rabid dog, and insisted that
he was developing hydrophobia. He
was sent home and the dog was sent
to the department of agriculture for
observation Two days later the young
man was in a terrible state and kept
on insisting that the dog which bit
him had hydrophobia He would roll
over and over in bed, snarling. growl
ing and swapping at the bed clothes.
He would catch the pillow or sheet
with his teeth and shake it like
terrier shaking a Jrat, and in other
ways show initiative accuracy in mis-
of the symptoms of the dis
ease. As soon as it was learned that
the dog didn't have rabies at all, the
young man began TO realize he had
been making himself a victim OF auto
suggestion and rapid recovery fol-
lowed. This was typical case of
lySsophobia, or pseudo-rabies. No
case of this kind ever has been known
to terminate fatally.
This Woman Had Rabies.
DR.. Mohler had occasion to study
the case of a woman who had been
severely bitten on the right forearm
and about the face by stray collie
dog. Eighteen days later she COM
planned OF pains about the healing
wound, which rapidly grew more Sc
we're until she was taken to the hos
pital- Her mind was clear, and no
toward violence was no.
ticed, although she was extremely ner- +
vous and possessed of an excessive /!
feeling of fear and uneasiness. She {
did not believe that she had hydro +
probia- But as the case progressed, 1
reflex spasms involving the muscles /
Of the throat were noticed and her !
breathing became more difficult, fol- /
lowed by unsuccessful attempts at
vomiting. She attributed this TO indi- /
sestion, and had not the slightest sus-
Oicion of the true nature of her con- 4
1kion, thus disproving the idea, ac-
eordi9g to DR.. Mohler, that the ner-
and fear usually seen in the !
early stages of rabies in the human
subject are due to natural dread of |
he disease and apprehension of the /
rather Inan to organic I
,hanges in the central nervous sys- !
em. Gradually the condition Of the /
patient became aggravated grave de- !
irium followed. succeeded by such vio-
ent movements as 60 require the
idoption of forcible measures to keep
Ter under control.
Two Tyres.
There are two general types of ra-
lies. one of them known as furious"
md the other as dumb" A dog which
IS bitten usually goes from three weeks
% three months before there is a /
marked change in the disposition of
he animal. An affectionates dog may
'ecome morose and expressed, while
swapping, treacherous animal may
'ecome cowardly or affectionate. This
5 succeeded by an irresistible tend
ncy to roam. If prevented the dog