Treatment of Hydrophobia, 99 



same way the ox is restless and excitable, turns out his upper 

 lip, grinds his teeth, bellows loudly, and scrapes with his 

 fore feet and rushes at all who approach. Sheep and hogs 

 show in their own peculiar manners the ferocity and savage 

 madness which is the characteristic of the disease. 



Treatment. — This should not be attempted. The only 

 proper plan is to shoot the animal, not only as soon as the 

 earliest symptoms appear, but as soon as it is ascertained 

 that it has been bitten by a mad dog. After the attack once 

 shows itself, it is absolutely useless to try any remedies. 

 Yet it is true that many animals, perhaps one-third of those 

 bitten by undoubted hydrophobic dogs, never take the 

 disease. Therefore, in cases where there is considerable 

 value at stake, an effort at prevention may be made. The 

 wound should be thoroughly cauterized, at the earliest possible 

 moment, with nitrate of silver, strong oil of vitriol or the red 

 hot iron. The animal should not be used, but placed in a 

 roomy box-stall or well closed shady paddock, and left quiet 

 and by itself until the period of development of the disease 

 above mentioned has been wholly past. With moderate diet 

 and an abundance of water, this will no doubt render it less 

 liable to succumb to the poison. 



