HYDROPHOBIA. 185 



it is not true. A person bitten by a mad dog is not doomed to die a fearful death 

 by hydrophobia. Not at all, for hydrophobia in a human being is much more rare 

 than rabies in a dog. Expert physicians who have given special attention to the 

 subject are convinced that hydrophobia is never caused by the bite of a dog, but 

 is simply a hysterical nervous disease caused by an unfounded dread. Don't take 

 this for granted; but remember these facts: 



"First, That there are more than a million chances to one that any dog which 

 is supposed to be mad is not mad at all; second, that, in all probability, any dog 

 by which a person may happen to be bitten is not mad; and third, that even if a 

 person is bitten by a dog that is really mad, the danger of hydrophobia is very, 

 slight indeed. 



"If you will note the following facts you will probably find them to be quite 

 different from the popular fancies by which most persons are misled. It is sup- 

 posed that a mad dog dreads water. It is not so. The mad dog is very likely to 

 plunge his head to the eyes in water, though he cannot swallow it, and laps it with 

 difficulty. It is supposed that a mad dog runs about with evidences of intense ex- 

 citement. It is not so. The mad dog never runs about in agitation; he never 

 gallops; he is always alone, usually in a strange place, where he jogs along slowly. 

 If he is approached by a dog or man he shows no signs of excitement, but when the 

 dog or man is near enough he snaps and resumes his solitary trot. If a dog barks, 

 yelps, whines or growls, that dog is not mad. The only sound a mad dog is ever 

 known J:o emit is a hoarse howl, and that but seldom. Even blows will not extort 

 an outcry from a mad dog. Therefore, if any dog, under any circumstances, utters 

 any other sound than that of a hoarse howl, that dog is not mad. It is supposed 

 that the mad dog froths at the mouth. It is not so. If a dog's jaws are covered 

 or flecked with white froth, that dog is not mad. The surest of all signs that a dog 

 is mad is a thick and ropy brown mucous clinging to his lips, which he often tries 

 vainly to tear away with his paws or wash away with water. If your dog is bitten 

 by any other dog, watch him carefully. If he is infected by rabies you will dis- 

 cover signs of it possibly in from six to ten days. Them he will be restless, often 

 getting up only to lie down again, changing his position impatiently, turning from 

 side to side, and constantly licking or scratching some part of his head, limbs or 

 body. He will be irritable and inclined to dash at other animals, and he will some- 

 times snap at objects which he imagines to be near him. He will be excessively 

 thirsty, lapping water eagerly and often. Then there will be glandular swellings 

 about his jaws and throat, and he will vainly endeavor to rid himself of a thick, 

 ropy, mucous discharge from his mouth and throat. If he can, he will probably 

 stray away from home and trot slowly and mournfully along the highway or across 

 the country, meddling with neither man nor beast, unless they approach him, and 

 then giving a single snap. The only exception to this behavior occurs in ferocious 

 dogs, which, during the earlier stage of excitement, may attack any living object 

 in sight. These symptoms of rabies are condensed from valuable information 

 received from physicians of undoubted authority.' 



The following interesting article was written by Mrs. Sarah K. Bolton, the emi- 

 nent authoress, wh'o has written many books on animals, and who is a great friend 

 of dogs, is clearly entitled to space in this book. Mrs. Bolton's last book, "OUR 

 DEVOTED FRTEND, THE DOG," should be read by .every dog lover. It is published by 

 L. C. Page & Co., Boston, Mass. Send and get it. 



"Almost weekly or monthly in summer we have a 'mad dog' scare. Some dog 



