460 RABIES 



paralysis and death, without recognizable gross anatomical 

 changes. 



The dog is the animal most commonly affected, although 

 all of the canine and feline races seem to suffer from rabies 

 more than other species. All warm blooded animals appear to 

 be susceptible. It is a serious disease in man, cattle, sheep, 

 horses and swine. An explanation for its greater frequency 

 among dogs is found in their tendency to bite. A very large 

 percentage, in fact nearly all, of the cases in man and in the 

 domesticated animals are caused by inoculation from the bites 

 of rabid dogs. 



§ 367. History. Rabies was described by Aristotle in 

 the fourth century B. C. Rewrote, "Dogs suffer from mad- 

 ness that puts them in a state of fury, and all the animals that 

 they bite, when in this condition, become also attacked by 

 rabies." Cornelius Celsius, who lived in the first part of the 

 Christian era, seems to have been the first to refer to human 

 rabies and to employ the term "hydrophobia." 



The transmission of the disease by wolves to man was 

 recorded in 159 1. In 1803, and for a number of j'ears follow- 

 ing, it was epizootic among foxes in Southern Germany and 

 Switzerland. 



During the latter part of the eighteenth and the beginning 

 of the nineteenth century the disease extended over Europe 

 and about this time it appeared in America. The first out- 

 break in this country was reported from Boston in 1768. In 

 1770 and 1 77 1 it was observed in dogs and foxes in the vicinity 

 of Boston ; in the year 1779 it appeared in Philadelphia and 

 in the state of Maryland ; in 1785 it was prevalent throughout 

 the Northern States and soon after it spread to the Southern 

 States. During the last century it has caused heavy losses 

 among farm animals throughout Europe and America. 



It has called forth careful study from many of the ablest 

 men in the medical professions. Among them may be men- 

 tioned John Hunter in England, Viborg in Copenhagen, Wal- 

 dinger in Vienna, Hertwig in Germany and Pasteur in France. 



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