RABIKS. 143 



carnivora and omuivora, the wolf ranks first, followed b}^ the 

 fox, hyena, jackal, badger, skunk and lion. Rabies is seen 

 more frequently in carnivora and oninivora than in herbivora, 

 and it may be said that infection from herbivora to herbivora, 

 or from herbivora to carnivora and omnivora, is rare. Of the 

 herbivora, the disease is most frequently seen in cattle, not so 

 frequently in sheep and goats. 



The fatal character of rabies in animals, including man, 

 has attracted the most able men who have ever adorned the 

 ranks of the medical and veterinary profession to the studj^ of 

 the disease. Of the famous men who gave great attention to 

 it may be mentioned the well known surgeon, John Hunter, 

 in England, Yiborg in Copenhagen, Waldinger in Vienna, 

 Hertwitz in Germany, and Pasteur in France. To Pasteur 

 and his co-laborers, Nocard and Roux, we owe most of the 

 knowledge we have of the disease, along with Babe, \'an 

 Gehucten, Nelis and Negri. 



Cause of Rabies. — As to the cause of rabies, we have even,' 

 reason to believe that it is due to a specific germ, but all 

 attempts to isolate it have so far failed, but much of the 

 nature of the virus is understood. 



In an animal with rabies, the virus or causative agent has 

 been demonstrated to exist in the saliva, salivary glands and 

 in some parts of the central nervous system ; namely, the 

 brain and spinal cord and nerve ganglion. It is not generally 

 accepted that flesh and blood contain the virus, although 

 animals that have consumed the body of an animal dead of 

 rabies are known to have developed the disease. The milk 

 has been shown to contain the virus, both in animal and in 

 man. Other glands, as the lachrymal and pancreas, may 

 contain the virus. The contents of the stomach may also 

 contain the virus, which may be taken as highly probable, in 

 thrft saliva containing it is swallowed. The action of the 

 gastric juice, however, soon destroys it. 



