The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-05
The Rabies

H6 queSllOD or IdDleS comes arOunu as regular as spring, and the discussion
 We have with us always. It is a ques-
 ton of much concern as there is more
 or less danger from the infection among
 the canine family.
 Two forms of the disease commonly
 occur-the quiet or dumb form and the
 active or violent form. In the first
 the dog is quiet and drowsy and shows
 little or no tendency to bite or runaway.
 The lower jaw is slightly dropped and
 partially paralized, and although the an
 imal laps liquids freely he is unable to
 swallow them. Weakness of the hind
 legs sets in and the animal dies within
 few days.
 have lost dogs with the dumb rabies
 whose eyes actually bulged from their
 sockets. and was the most sad death l
 ever witnessed among dogs. This was
 ill my early experience, and all the time
 I was trying to save t--5m. It cannot be
 done, however, and in q later case I
 chloroformed the animal.
 Tn the second form the animal is rest
 less, sometimes irritable and sometimes
 unusually affectionate Gin the onset).
 The voice is changed to a peculiar howl.
 and the animal frequently leaves home.
 Some cases show symptoms of both
 forms. It is important to remember that
 mad dogs show no fear of water and are
 able to eat and drink until paralysis Of
 the throat sets in. This is sometimes early in the disease as in the dumb form. In other cases it may not occur until just before death.
 i It should be remembered also that the | secretions from the mouth of the rabid I dog are poisonous whether the animal
 shows any tendency to bite or not. 1 The only safe way to follow is to be careful in handling any sick dog until | sure that he has not rabies, to wear
 heavy gloves in handling such dog and I to avoid the secretion from the mouth. l If dog is sick with an unknown dis ease or is suspected of being rabid he | should be securely chained, and the board of health notified. If dog suspected i of being rabid is running wild and bit ] ing persons, he should be killed at once. 1 But the cry of mad dog don't always ! mean that an excited dog, running hlther and thither, smiling the air and scan | ming pedestrians, has the rabies Rushing about the hard pavement, which fails to give the guiding response to his anxious scent as he tries to take his bearings. his distress and excitement in- creases. He has lost his master. In
 many instances of this nature the poor animal Is killed before he can find his l protector
 1 Nothing can strike greater terror l through a thoughtless crowd than the mad dog warning. Care should be l taken before sounding such alarm. It means trouble.
 l The popular belief that there is an un- 1 due prevalence of rabies during that part 1 of the year known as dog days has l been pretty thoroughly exploded yet the heated period of the year does bring this ] subject to mind. It Is fully recognized 1 that not all dogs called mad are suf I fering from rabies, and that in hot weather dogs may have convulsions from 1 heat stroke or from other causes as raIJ a rl Tn ia m | found that this good natured animal may | be annoyed to the point at which it will I turn on those who pet 1t, especially will | a harmless, starved mongrel, annoyed by ] the heat, the dust, the fleas and the per- secution of persons and things that sur round him. attempt to defend himself and snap. Immediately those in the street jump at the conclusion that the | dog is mad, and a scare is on. It must l be remembered, however, that in the
 mingling of a multitude of like animals
 which are constantly snarling and quar-
 reling among themselves, when one ami | nal is infected the chances are that the infection will be spread rapidly. l While the precaution already suggest ed-that not everydog that bites is the subject of rabies-should be borne in
 mind, nevertheless. for the welfare of the 1 person who may have been bitten by a dog, it is important to know whether or
 
 | when an animal that has inflicted such a wound is destroyed immediately. The ] sane procedure Is to quarantine it, in or der that a definite diagnonsis may be de- | termined. It should be properly guarded and kept from contact with other dogs or animals but under comfortable con- ditions. If it is rabid the fact soon be- comes evident. If it is simply a case of 1 bad temper and not of disease, the proper punishment or disposal of the dog may be decided after this fact has been | established. If for any reason 1t becomes necessary to kill the animal at once, or 1 if this mistake has been made, the head and neck of the animal should be packed 1 in ice and sent to properly equipped | laboratory as quickly as possible. I It is hardly necessary to suggest that a wound resulting from the bite of an anil ] nal should be thoroughly cleansed; car | bolc acid should be thoroughly applied, and then neutralized with alcohol. The patient should be given the benefit of I the Pasteur treatment.
 | More important than the cure of hydro phobia Is its prevention by administra- l tive measures. The British muzzling or l der. absolutely enforced, has rendered | Great Britain practically free from rabies. Surely all dogs worth the price l of muzzle or leash while on the street should be thus restrained; the rest should be destroyed. This procedure would rob rabies of it's terrors.