The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-12-02
Talks to Farmers
BY 7. F. PECK.
Commissioner of Agriculture

cd ON III. george IL Wnltc, SlAbe hSl-
eri1sriar, will he of inte est to the
general public.
RABIES
Rabies, commonly known as Hydro
phObis," is an acute infectious disease
transmitted from animal to animal and
from animal to man by the bite of nj
mails affected with the disease. il is
not and cannot be transmitted in any
other manner.
All warm blooded animals are suscep-
tible. However, it is observed more
frequently in the dog thar anv other
animal. principally on account Of this
animal tendency to bite. Whenever
Rabies develops in any species of tn-
finals usually dogs bite is responsible
therefor,
HISTORY. Rabies was descrit ed
by Aristotle in the Fourth Century,
B. c. The first outbreak on the
American continent. occurred in Boston
in 1868. In ITO it appeared in Phila-
delphia; since then 1t has spread to all
the States. Outbreaks of Rabies have
occurred 10 every county in Tennessee,
and at this time 1t is reported las pre-.
valent in at least eight or ten counties.
Rabies 10 no respector of season; ii
occurs during every month of the yea.
with about equal prevalency. The old
expression, dog days." is.a myth.
PERIOD of INCUBATION. The time
from sustaining the bite from rabid
animal to the beginning of symptoms
of the disease lis variable. Probably
mere variable in abies than any other
disease IL days TO three years, aver
age 80 days
The variation in size, depth and
character Of the wound, its location on
the body and the viruleuce and the am
cunt. of virus received all play and i'm
portant part IN the early or late devel
opmeDt of the disease. Wounds on
the head, neck and shoulders are al
ways the most dangerous.
: SYMPTOMS, Dropped lower jaw,
which of course means open mouth,
slight protusion of the tongue, starey
EXPIRE ssion from the eyts, dirt or SCOT
on tongue, dripping of ssliva from the
mouth, however this is not constant as
some rabid dogs have dry mouths,
swapping and biting at moving objects.
On account Of partial paralysis Of the
vocal cords the tone of the voice is
changed. There is also inability TO
swallow on account of psrslysis of the
threat. The animals habits and be-
hsvior changes. They appear uneasy
and aRitated, They lie down but in a
few minutes they are up walking about,
seeking r. but finding none. Ia the
late stages we observe exhaustion,
paralysis, prostration and finally death.
There is tendency to leave home
and run at random over the country,
II they do not become exhausted and
die on the road, most raid dogs return
home to die. A rabid animal ususlly
from 4 to 6 days
WARNING. When you observe a dog
with open. dirty mouth, slightly pro-
truded tongueand starey expression
from eyes you had better be careful.
II such q dog la, titten persons or
other animals. do n,t kill II until
diagnosis of the Case IL made. Unces
the above circumstances the dog shouId
be confined and kept under close OBJ
of l.l.fied Veterinarian
until death occurs.
The head should then be severed
rlose to the body. sf,er which pack it
in common salt and send it to Psthoi-
ogicsl Laboratory with instructions that
rabies is suspected and to search for
Negri bodice. II Negri bodies are
found. then the diagnosis of Rabies is
confirmed and Pasteur treatment should
be ssgun without delay. No longer
than five days should be allowed to
elapse between the time of sustaining
the bite Of rabid animal and the be-
ginning of Pssteur treatment.
Remember that the old time Mad
Stone" is :nothius more or less than
myth. Its use and curative pro-
verties are superstitions. Tbese 10
Just % much virtue In . piece Of ordi,
nary blottiag pepper applied to wound
made By rahid ..sninsl ~ there rs in
the spplicstsd of . mad Stooe."