CAMP. 95 



amongst the skunks which, if each wera equally rabid, 

 would soon exterminate the whole race. Secondly, from 

 the actions of the biting animals. The bite is not the 

 senseless snap of a rabid animal, bat is the result of 

 appetite. The skunk comes into camp in search of food, 

 deliberately sits down on the hand or face of a man, and 

 begins eating. If disturbed, he cocks his tail and stands 

 on the defence ; but if a fire is made, or a candle lit, or 

 he be alarmed by noise and bustle, he scampers off into 

 the darkness, to return again when all is quiet. Thirdly, 

 that, though I have seen many dogs bitten by skunks, I 

 have never known a dog or other lower animal to go 

 mad from such a bite. 



The crowds of buffalo hunters that flocked to the 

 plains in 1872-3-4 suffered greatly from skunk-bites. 

 During the years 1872-3, while stationed at Fort Dodge, 

 I knew by report of sixteen cases, every one of which 

 proved fatal. 



Assistant Surgeon Jameway, U.S.A., stationed at 

 Fort Hays, in a most interesting article in the Medical 

 Record, reports eleven cases of skunk-bite treated by 

 him or coining under his observation, ten of which 

 resulted in hydrophobia, and were fatal. 



In 1872, when on a scout, I camped one night on the 

 Cimarron Eiver, near the crossing of the old Santa Fe 

 Eoad. In the night I was awakened by a noise in the 

 servants' tent next my own. I called out, but receiving 

 no answer, and the disturbance ceasing, I went to sleep 

 again. While dressing in the morning, one of the men 

 came to me with his hand bound up, and asked if there 

 was any cure for a skunk-bite. Though my heart sank 

 within me, I made light of it, and told him that it was 

 no more dangerous than the bite of any other hungry 

 little animal. I examined the wound. The whole ball of 

 the right thumb was torn, lacerated, and gnawed in a 

 fearful manner. I had no caustic or other means of 

 cauterisation except fire, and so many hours had elapsed 



