The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-07-16
LARGE NUMBER
OF RABlD DOGS
State Board of Health Using Pasteur
Treatment In Many Instances over


this State.
The state board of health is at pres
ent administering the pasteur treat
ment to 26 patients supposed to be
infected with rabies. These patients
reside in town throughout the entire
state and their treatment is conducted
by local physicians with virus fur
H;shca by the offices of the state de-
partment. During the present year
1S7 cases have come under the super
vision of the South Carolina health
authorities.
When it is recalled that only GO per
cent of the heads examined reveal the
traces of rabies, it will be seen that
something like 800 heads of dogs, cats
and other animals have been sent to
Columbia for examination.
Cases Increasing.
During the past four years, since
the department was established, there
has been steady increase in the num-
Der of cases reported to the health
authorities. This may not necessarily
be due to an increased prevalence of
the disease but may result from the
fact that the news of free treatment
at the hands of the state department
has spread into the country districts
more each year. Most OF the cases
brought to the attention Of the state
health board are reported from The
country.
The department is not only fighting
the disease by prescribed treatment
but is striving to prevent it's spread
by issuing bulletins which describe
its symptoms and thereby enable per-
sons to spot dogs which are affected
What to Do.
The following extra from the
phamplet issued tells what to do when
bitten by an animal supposed to be
infected with rabies:
Any wound made by the teeth of
an animal should receive immediate
attention, since such wounds are
practically always infected wounds.
They should be cleaned out and thor
oughly dsinfected with the usual sur
gical solutions. If there is any reason
whatever to suspect that the biting
animal was suffering with rabies, or
if it appeared sick in any way, the
wound should be thoroughly cauter-
lied Immediately. The best cauteriz-
ing agent is nitric acid, which should
be carried on a swab or glass rod to
every recess and part of the wound.
Carbolic acid and other acids appear
to be less efficient, but are OF service
f, Nitate of silver is useless and should
not be used
"Tincture of iodine might be used in
lieu of anything better The actual
cautcry, or red-hot iron, is not as
effective as might be expected, and
is very painful and unnecessary de-
structivc. Where the situation of the
wound permits, complete eXcision may
be done followed by cautcrization
with acid. Great care must be OBJ
served when using strong acids or the
actual cautery about the face on ac-
count of the danger of edema. Chill
dren and very nervous subjects should
always be anesthetiZed before cautery
| is used.
THE suspected animal should be
| Immediately secured, if this is at all
possible. An animal at large may
| sometimes be captured by lasso, net,
crocus bag, by turning a box or bar
rel over it, or by snaring it by means
/ of loop of stout cord on the end Of
section of gas pipe. Once secured,
escape of the animal must be securely
| guarded against, but the animal should
not be mistreated, teased or deprived
of food or water. AS soon as the AMI
NAL dies, or the symptoms become un-
mistakable, the head should be sent
to the laboratory at Columbia for ex-
animation. If the animal remains
alive and we'll for ten days, there is
no danger of es."-Columbia Rec