RABIES. 85 



RABIES. 



This terrible disease can only be developed in the horse as the 

 result of inoculation and can generally be traced to the bite of a 

 dog; spontaneous generation is uot now recognized as possible; of 

 course the disease may be imparted to a horse through the bite of 

 one that is already rabid, and it is with a view of preventing such 

 a calamity that we deal with the disease at all in these pages, for 

 while considering it not altogether impracticable to effect a cure, 

 provided proper measures are taken in good time, still the risk in- 

 curred by reason of the dangerous propensities it gives rise to, and 

 the damage which in attempiug treatment might be inflicted by 

 so pDwerful an animal, w^e are strongly of opinion that the safest 

 and wisest course is to slaughter the sufferer as soon as the un- 

 questionable proof vst forthcoming that a case of rabies has to be 

 dealt with. 



It is more than likely that a horse may be inoculated with the 

 virus of rabies by the bite of a dog without the owner or his 

 attendants being cognizant of the occurrence; it is, therefore, 

 desirable to give the list of symptoms by which madness may be 

 recognized, so that, at least, those in charge may be able to gain 

 the necessary information, the possession of which is all-import- 

 ant to put them on their guard against the more serious and danger- 

 ous developments. 



There is no time that can be fixed as the period of incubation 

 after the animal has been bitten, nor is there anything in the 

 manner of the horse to suggest that he has been inoculated wath 

 the rabies virus until the more definite symptoms, peculiar to ihe 

 disease, commence to display themselves. Probably among the 

 earlier symptoms observable are great excitability, inability to 

 control its movements, the muscles of the loins and hind legs 

 generally become hard and unyielding to the touch, as also ma}' 

 those of the back and neck, and caution must be exercised that the 

 rigid condition of the large muscle is not mistaken for tetanus Tlock- 

 jaw) nor tetanus for it ; there are symptoms of differentiation, easih' 

 recognized by the professional veterinarian, but the layman needs 

 to be on his guard to discern the one disease from the other; to do 

 which satisfactorily he must stud}^ both diseases carefully for him- 

 self and get the difference in the symptoms impressed on his mind 



