HYDROPHOBIA

Dunstan Times, Issue 634, 12 June 1874, Page 3

HYDROPHOBIA

—o— The Now York Times, commenting on the death of a well-known actress in that city from hydrophobia, caused - by the bite of her pet dog. proceeds to make the folfowing ’observations : one authority not more than one irr twenty five of those who are bitten by dogs are infected by hydrophobia.” If this alarming statement were true, it would be well, in spite of the many useful ’and loveable qualities of the canine tribe, to exterminate the wqole breed forthwith, rather than run tire imminent risk of incurring this most terrible of all known maladies. For, o onsider the state of the case. There are thirty millions of human beings in the United Kingdom, there are probably not less than a million dogs ; jand when it is remembered how many of these dogs are naturally ferocious, and how many of the rest are teased by children, and often by grown-up persons, into losing their tern pers, we are most likely well within the mark if we venture to state that, within chose islands, a hundred persona {per diem receive Uog bites. According to this calculation there should be, according to the New York Times, four eases of hydro phobia ereiy day in the United Kingdom. But it is notorious that, except at periods when “ rabies’" assume an epidemic form no such number of deaths occurs through this disease, and it would appear that the erroneousness of toe above statement arises from the the emission of a’small but very important -adjective. If the sentence be amended thus:—“ Not more than one in|twenty-five of those who are bitten by ‘mad’ dogs are infected kyjhydrophobia,” the observation is doubtless correct, for it cor espouds fojtbe experience of J,he celebrated John Hunter, who mentions an instance where, out of twenty-one persons bitten by a mad dog, one alone was Directed. But i i this amended form, the statement may afford comfort to persona bitten by dogs suspected of “rabbis, as it will show.them that,"even if the dog was really mad, they have still a fair chance of escape, and the knowledge of this may prevent the excess of terror'uViolqhas undoubtedly in some cases -produced a condition of nervoiu[(x ;tcmeiit which Ins terminated fatal’y, arid has been accepted by the medical observers as a genuine instance of hydrophobia. But, fat the same time, no precaution: g should be neglected, and where the risk run is so fearful, it is well, if there bo the least 'suspicion of madness i i the dog, to resort to cauterisation, cxcisio .r, or even amputation'as [soon as possible. Just now there is said to be an epidemic of “ rabies” in the northern and midland counties, similar to that which occurred in the north-west of London eight years ago, when six-and-thirty persons died of hydrophobia.arN no less than fifty of Earl Fitzwillium’s crlebrateil fs\hoimds have been shot in c riise pren re of ma bicss hav ng sh jwn itself am ng theta. At such a time a’l dogs found without owners should be destroyed, and all persons who'kicp dogs-if,piciaUy pot dogs should, as soon as their aubua’s exhibit symptoms of b(big id at rase chain them up, is Bate them, and watch them el sely. The “ vi.us’’ is linking in Hum, a id Mill soon shew its: lf . —GiapMc.