198 , • HYDROPHOBIA 



bites nearly every object which comes its way; in the latter the muscles of 

 its jaw are paralyzed almost from the first appearance of symptoms, and 

 being unable to bite, the animal remains more quiet and tranquil. Essen- 

 tilly the. two forms of the disease are the same, but owing to the parts 

 of the brain attacked and the acuteness of the attack, paralysis appears 

 much sooner in one of these forms than in the other. The saliva from a 

 case of dumb rabies is just as dangerous and virulent as that from a case 

 of furious rabies. The dogs with dumb rabies are less dangerous simply 

 because they are unable to bite and thus insert their saliva into a wound. 



"The impression should not be formed that dumb rabies and furious 

 rabies always represent two distinct types of disease, and that one may at 

 a glance classify every case as belonging to one or the other of these types. 

 Quite the contrary. The typical cases belong to the two extremes of symp- 

 toms, and there are all graduations between the two. In fact, almost every 

 case of furious rabies sooner or later change into the dumb form, that is, 

 the final stage of rabies is almost invariably paralytic, and the dumb form 

 in its typical development occurs when the paralysis appears on the first day 

 of the disease. The paralysis may not appear, however, until the second, 

 or third, or some subsequent day. 



"Again ,a dog does not necessarily bite everything about it even though 

 it has rabies and its jaws are not paralyzed. It may be combative and 

 furious all of the time, or only a part of the time, or not at all. There is 

 no disease in which the symptoms vary more than in rabies of the dog, 

 and it is, consequently, impossible in any description of moderate length 

 to give an idea of the different forms under which it may appear. 



Furious Rabies. 



"Fleming has well said that it is a great and dangerous error to sup- 

 pose that the disease commences with signs of raging madness, and that 

 the earliest phase of the malady is ushered in with fury and destruction. 

 The symptoms appear very gradually, and at first there is only the slightest 

 evidence of brain disease. The animal's habits and behavior are changed. 

 It may be more restless and affectionate than usual, seeking to be near its 

 master or mistress, fawning, licking the hands or face", and apparently seek- 

 ing for sympathy or assistance. Such caresses are, however, extremely 

 dangerous, for the animal's tongue, moist with virulent saliva, coming in 

 contact with a part where the skin is thin, abraded, or wounded, may fatally 

 infect the person with whom it is endeavoring to demonstrate its affection. 

 The smallest abrasion may be, as Bouley has impressively said, a door 

 opened to death; and such a death! The instances in which hydrophobia 

 has developed from such inoculations are very numerous, and everyone 

 should be warned against this kiss of affection, which carries with it not 

 only death, but sufferings which are far more to be dreaded than the fatal . 

 termination. 



• "In most cases dogs first become dull, gloomy, morose, taciturn, seek- 

 ing solitude and isolation in out-oMhe-way places, or retiring under pieces 

 of furniture. But in this retirement they can not rest; they are uneasy 

 and agitated; they lie down and assume the attitude of repose, but in a 

 few minutes are up again, walking hither and thither, 'seeking rest, but 

 finding none.' Occasionally this restlessness may disappear for a time, and 

 the animal become lively and affectionate; oftener it sinks into a sullen 

 gloominess, from which even its master's voice rouses it but temporarily. 

 It becomes more and more desperate in its efforts to prepare a comfortable 

 bed, pawing or scattering the straw, or, if in a house, scratching, tumbling 

 and tearing cushions, rugs, curtains, carpets and everything of that kind 

 within its reach. 



"At this period dogs may have aberrations of the senses, of the sight, 

 hearing, and feeling, which cause hallucinations and lead them to think 

 that they are being annoyed by something, or that some animal or person 

 is endeavoring to injure them. They crouch, ready to spring upon an ene- 



