194 MODERN BIOLOGIC THERAPEUSIS 



any fear of water. They are intensely thirsty 

 and desire to drink, but when the paralytic con- 

 dition affects the throat muscles they are unable 

 to swallow. They are so far from having a fear 

 of water that they sometimes swim rivers while 

 in the excited stage, as observed in ancient and 

 modern times. The term hydrophobia mean- 

 ing ' ' fear of water ' ' is a misnomer, and should 

 be discarded. 



THE CAUSE OF RABIES 



At the present time, the belief is growing that 

 the cause of rabies is a parasitic protozoan dis- 

 covered by Negri and generally known as the 

 "Negri body." This was the opinion of Negri 

 from the first. His discovery has been amply 

 confirmed, and most observers agree with his 

 interpretation of the nature of the bodies as 

 well as their significance. Negri has traced a 

 developmental cycle for the parasite, as have 

 Williams and Lowden and Noguchi who have 

 classified it with the protozoa. 



The fact that the disease is transmitted 

 through bites of rabid animals not only of 

 dogs, but of other animals as well led to the 

 discovery that the causative agent is actually 



