406 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



is much longer than in tetanus, since the inoculation of rabbits with 

 tetanus cultures iuA'ariably results in death after a short period and 

 usually within three days. The positive evidence that a rabid dog 

 has been near cattle would greatly assist in making a decision in 

 doubtful cases. 



The disease in dogs is pretty well recognized by most people, but in 

 case a suspected dog is killed it is desirable to open the animal and 

 examine the contents of the stomach. \\Tiile feed is absent, a variety 

 of odd things may be present which the abnormally changed appetite 

 of the rabid dog has induced it to swallow. Among such things may 

 be straws, sticks, glass, rags, earth, pieces of leather, and whatever 

 the animal may have encountered small enough to be swallowed. 

 This miscellaneous collection in the stomach of dogs, together with 

 absence of feed, is regarded b}' authorities as a very valuable sign, 

 and in case of doubt may be made use of by laymen. In important 

 cases, however, the head of the dog, cow, or other suspected animal 

 should be removed and sent to the nearest biological laboratory, 

 where a positive diagnosis can be made within 36 hours by the histo- 

 logical examination of the plexiform nerve ganglia, and within two 

 or three weeks by the intracerebral inoculation of rabbits with an 

 emulsion of the brain of the suspected animal. 



Treatment. — This is useless after the first appearance of symptoms. 

 '\^^len, however, a wound inflicted by a rabid animal can be discov- 

 ered, it should be immediately cauterized or even completely extir- 

 pated, care being taken to cut entirely around the wound in the 

 healthy tissues. For cauterizing the wound, fuming nitric acid, the 

 hot iron, and 10 per cent solution of zinc chlorid are the most effica- 

 cious. To afford an absolute protection, this should be done within 

 a few moments after the bite has been inflicted, although even as late 

 as a fcAv hours it has been known to thwart the development of the 

 disease. 



Pasteur originated and perfected a sj^stem of preventive inocula- 

 tion against this disease wliich has gieatly reduced the mortality in 

 human subjects. Its application to animals, however, is difficult and 

 requires considerable time and expense. A method of vaccination 

 applicable to animals, consisting of a single injection of a suspen- 

 sion of " fixed " rabies virus, is now being quite extensively employed 

 by veterinarians. Sanitary regulations which seek to control effec- 

 tively the disease by exterminating it among dogs are most likely to 

 prove successful. The measures which are adopted to this end can 

 not be discussed in this place, but it is a striking fact that where the 

 muzzling of all dogs has been rigidly enforced, as in England and in 

 certain German districts, the disease has been practically stamped 

 out. 



