CHAPTER XIII. 

 RABIES. 



Rabies, or hydrophobia, as it is frequently called, is a 

 disease especially affecting dogs. Practically all of the 

 domestic animals and many wild animals may, how- 

 ever, contract the disease. Man is also susceptible. 

 While the disease is especially important on account of 

 its communicability to man, it is becoming of much 

 economic importance to the farmer through the loss of 

 stock infected by the- bites of rabid dogs 



So far as is known the disease is transmitted from 

 one animal to another or from animals to man only 

 through the bite of a rabid animal. The tendency of 

 the dog to bite is the explanation for the great preva- 

 lence of the disease in this animal. The organism caus- 

 ing the disease has never been discovered. Certain 

 structures have beenx found in parts of the body that are 

 supposed to be the real cause, although the relation has 

 never been thoroughly established. 



Distribution. The disease is found in nearly all parts 

 of the world. Australia is said to be free from it. This 

 freedom is due to the rigid enforcement of quarantine 

 laws in regard to the importation of dogs. England 

 through strict regulations concerning the muzzling of 

 dogs and through her quarantine laws has practically 

 succeeded in stamping out the disease. In our own 

 country rabies is found in every state. In some sections 



