Facts relating to Hydrophobia. 153 



PART II. 



Hydrophobia: — Extent, ease of transmission, dangers of exposure, 

 time during which the virus lurks in the system, &fc. 



If hydrophobia should ever become as frequent in the United 

 States, as it has been in some countries, it would be a subject of re- 

 gret that we have no regular statistics of the disease. We have sta- 

 tistics of other diseases, as well as of vice and crime. The labor of 

 collecting them, is more than compensated by the diminution of suf- 

 fering, which their publicity occasions. The present is deemed a 

 favorable time for inviting attention to hydrophobiaj as it is believed 

 that the disease is more prevalent in the country than at any former 

 period of its history. During the last year especially, the cases have 

 been frequent ; and there is reason to believe, that with more knowl- 

 edge of the disease, and o£ the dangers of exposure, some at least, 

 of the many fatal terminations which have occurred, might have been 

 "avoided. 



' A table, containing a statement of the number of deaths by hydro- 

 phobia, in the different parts of the Prussian monarchy, was publish- 

 ed in Hufeland's Journal for March, 1824". .From this table, it ap- 

 pears that the deaths in ten years amounted to one thousand six 

 hundred and sixty-six. 



Years. Deaths. Years. -Deaths. 



1810 104 - 1815 79 



1811 117 - 1816 201 



1812 101 - 1817 228 



1813 85 - 1818 268 



1814 127 - 1819 356 



' The deaths occurred more frequently in some provinces than in 

 others. The greatest number mentioned in one province is two hun- 

 dred and twenty-eight. In several provinces, the cases were very 

 rare, or totally absent. Dr. Hufeland accounts for this great diver- 

 sity, by remarking that the provinces in which it is frequent are con- 

 tiguous to the forests containing wolves, as those of Poland, Prussia, 

 and the Ardennes.'* 



* United States Literary Gazette. 



Vol. XXIII.— No. 1. 20 ' 



