VACCINES IN PROPHYLAXIS OF DISEASE 191 



Animals Affected Dogs are most frequently 

 affected with rabies and to them we owe the 

 perpetuation of the disease ; they are usually re- 

 sponsible for the transmission of the disease to 

 human beings. Rabies also occurs among cat- 

 tle, wolves, cats and other animals, and may be 

 transmitted by them to man. 



NATURE OF THE DISEASE 



Rabies is transmitted to human beings 

 through inoculation with virus from infected 

 animals, usually dogs. The saliva of the animal 

 is the infecting medium which conveys the virus. 

 The disease may be transmitted by the deposit 

 of saliva containing the virus on abraded sur- 

 faces, as by licking. In all cases, a wound or an 

 abraded surface of the skin is necessary for the 

 absorption of the virus. It cannot pass through 

 the healthy skin. 



Following the bites of a rabid animal, no 

 symptoms apart from the wound are noted for 

 a variable length of time, depending upon the 

 severity of the bites, location of the wound and 

 the species of animal inflicting the bites. A bite 

 on the head or face is usually followed by symp- 

 toms of the disease within a shorter period than 

 a wound on the hand or foot. 



