No. « DI.IAK IMION 1 Ul'' AGKICUl/IUHI'J 531 



leiized as soon an poswibh' willi fuming iiiUic acid. TLih shoukl 

 be thoroughly api)lied to all parts of the wound, uiaking sure that 

 there are no pockets or recesses which escape the action of the acid. 

 If such cauterization is carried out within twenty-four hours of the 

 reception of the wound, the danger is very much lessened, and if done 

 within a few hours the protection is absolute. In the absence of 

 fuming nitric acid the hot iron or the thermocauter}', or even strong 

 antiseptics may be used, but experiments have shown that nitric 

 acid is the most eflScient. The invariable rule should be: Cauterize 

 as soon as possible, and in the meantime do everytliing to get the 

 virus out of the woiind^ by washing in an abundance of water, en- 

 larging the wound and encouraging free bleeding by cupping or the 

 aiiplication of ligatures around the limb above the site of injury. 

 Osier advises that the wound be kept open for five to six weeks. 



The animal which inflicted the wound should in no case he killed 

 hut should he captured., if jwssihle, and confined for ohservation. 

 In this way it is often possible to determine positively within a day 

 or two whether the animal was really rabid, and much anxiety 

 spared the bitten person. As soon as the animal dies the whole 

 head should be cut off close to the shoulders, packed in ice and sent 

 to the nearest laboratory for examination. In the State of Pennsyl- 

 vania, the Laboratory of the State Live Stock Sanitary Board under- 

 takes this work free of expense, and in the majority of cases a 

 positive opinion can be given in twenty-four hours after the re- 

 ceipt of the head. Where the animal has been killed, either by 

 intention or accident, a positive opinion cannot be given in many 

 cases in less than from three to six weeks, as the result of inocula- 

 tion must be waited for. The same is true where only a portion of 

 the brain is sent, since the changes .which indicate rabies that can 

 be detected by the microscope are found only in the medulla ob- 

 longata, and in the ganglia found on some of the nerves. From these 

 facts, the great importance of sending the whole head and neck will 

 be seen. 



Disposal of Bodies of Animals which Have Died of Rabies. 

 The flesh of animals which have died of rabies, or have been killed 

 on account of it, is unfit for food. If possible, the carcass should 

 be destroA ed by burning, or be sent to a knackers, where it is cooked 

 in the process of utilizing it commercially. If this is not possible, 

 it should be deeply buried under a layer of quick lime. The law of 

 France allows the removal of the' skin, and its sale after disinfec- 

 tion, which is done by immersing it in a 2 per cent, solution of sul- 

 phate of zinc, or in corrosive sublimate, two parts to 1.000. 



Disinfection. ' All bedding used by an animal Avith rabies, and 

 all remains of food, etc., should be destroyed by burning. Collars. 

 ( hains, halters, blankets, feed-pans and other such articles should 



