March 12, 1898.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
213 
Fixtures, 
BENCH SHOWS. 
March 15.— Kansas City Kennel Club's second annual show, 
Kansas City, Mo. A. E. Ashbfook, Sec'y. 
HydropllGbk* 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The article xipon hydrophobia by Dr. C. H. Sheppard, 
in your paper of Dec. ii, appears to me the most im- 
portant upon that subject that I have ever seen. I have 
frequently read of the Buisson system of treatment by 
vapor baths, but understood that it had been tried in 
only a few cases. The results might therefore have been 
fallacious, for there is always a possibility of mistaking 
the symptoms due to certain deranged states of the ner- 
vous system for real hydrophobia. Such an error coirld 
not occur in eighty cases, and if the information as to 
numbers supphed to the Lancet be fully reliable, there 
can be no further doubt of tlic vapor bath being a certain 
cure. But if so, the fact of its having been ignored since 
its first trials in 1826 is a decided reproach to the medical 
profession. 
1 can corroborate Dr. Sheppard's statement that the 
saliva of dogs which are apparently healthy may some- 
times communicate the disease. One of my intimate 
friends, an inspecting veterinary surgeon in the Indian 
Army, knew a man who died from hydrophobia caused 
by a puppy licking his face where it had been cut while 
slaving. The puppy showed no after signs of illness. 
There Can, t think, be little doubt that the germs of 
this and othei' diseases may exist in the bodies of certain 
animals which, individually, are not susceptible to their 
action; and yet the same germs may prove virulent if 
other animals be inoculated with them. In this way only 
can we account for a fact stated by Col. Dodge, of the 
United States Army, in his work on the Great West. 
Me says that skunks are frequently in the habit of nib- 
bling the faces and hands of men sleeping in camps on 
the prairies. In the Arkansas Valley these bites invaria- 
bly Cause hydrophobia, although they have no ill ef- 
fects north alid south of that belt of territory. When 
the In en awake, the skunks are easily driven out of the 
tents, showing no signs of being rabid. 
1 ci^uite agree with those authorities who assert that 
the virus remains localized for a time in the cicatrix. of 
the wound. It appears to incubate there at first, like 
the virus of cowpox, before being absorbed into the 
general sj'^stein; fot tiie first symptom usually observed, 
before those which are specially flidicative of hydro- 
phobia, is throbbing and itching in the seat of the wound. 
Many years ago T read in a medical work of two men 
who had been bitten by a rabid dog, and whose wounds 
had healed. Some time afterward they felt the charac- 
teristic throbbing, and consulted a surgeon, who cut out 
all the cicatrices, after which they experieJiced no fur- 
ther ill effects. 
There is some reason for believing that rabies may 
originate spontaneously in animals of the dog genus. 
It is hardly probable that the disease is always existent 
in any race of wild creatures, considering how rapidly 
they die after being attacked, and yet we hear occasion- 
ally of isolated cases among wolves in America and 
Russia, and among jackals in India. 
. About two years ago a pet dog belonging to an old 
lady in London died from rabies. He had not been 
near another dog, and had never been out of the house 
except into a back yard from which there was no means 
of egress into the streets. There was no conceivable 
way in which the dog could have been inoculated, unless 
he had been bitten by a stray cat, and of that there was 
not the slightest evidence. 
The subject is difficult to decide about, because there 
are several ways by which the virus may be introduced 
into an animal's system without any one being aware 
of the fact. A dog, for instance, might imbibe it when 
drinking at a pool which had been visited shortly before 
by a rabid animal. (The popular idea that a mad dog 
dreads water is incorrect. He will often plunge his face 
into it for the purpose of quenching his raging thirst, 
but is unable to drink, owing to spasms and congestion 
in the throat.) Cats probably communicate rabies much 
more frequently than is generally suspected, while in 
its early stages they would be liable to fight with dogs 
encountered when they climb over walls into gardens 
and yards. Even when a cat is in an advanced stage of 
the disease the owner is not likely to detect it, because 
that animal does not run amuck like a dog, and rarely 
bites without provocation. 
It has been repeatedly stated that there is an excess 
of cases of hydrophobia found in the vicinity of Pasteur 
institutes. I believe the cause of this to be that each 
institute is a center of infection, and that flies are the 
chief agents in carrying the virus from the wretched ani- 
mals, in whose bodies it is "cultivated," to healthy dogs 
and cats in the neighborhood. 
There is good reason for the assertion frequently made, 
that the Pasteur method of treatment often causes hy- 
drophobia in people who might otherwise" escape. The 
late Prof. J. H. Steel, in his book upon disease of the 
dog, says: "Although intravenous or intracellular in- 
oculation ordinarily produces 'dumb madness,' furious ra- 
bies will follow when the amount of virus injected is 
very small; and the smaller the amount, the more easily 
is furious rabies brought on." Now, "dumb madness" 
is that form of the disease in which the patient is par- 
alyzed, and in nearly or quite all the cases of hydro- 
phobia in human beings who have been previously sub- 
jected to the Pasteur treatment paralysis has been a 
marked symptom. But it has been absent, to the best 
of my recollection, in all the cases caused by dog bites 
(and not treated by Pasteur's method) of which I have 
heard or read during the last fifty years. 
Rabies (although other - diseases are often mistaken 
for it)_is really very uncommoii, and there is no exagger- 
ation in^statmg that a large proportion of dogs entered 
as mad in police returns have been affected with some 
other malady, 
In the Dogs' Home at London the attendants are, of 
course, sometimes bitten, yet there was not one case of 
hydrophobia among them during many years after that 
institution was founded, and I have not heard of one 
up to the present time. About 40,000 dogs are admitted 
annually, and Mr. A. J. Sewell, the veterinary surgeon 
who attends the home regularly, reported that there had 
not been one case of rabies ja it during the twelve 
months Ending March, 1897. 
It is asserted by high authorities that not more than, 
at the utmost, 20 per cent, of human beings bitten by 
dogs really rabid are attacked with hydrophobia, and this 
proportion would be immensely reduced if the wounds 
were without delay carefully cauterized to the bottom. 
Every bite ought to be cauterized, even if the animal 
which inflicts it show no sign of illness. 
A celebrated canine veterinary surgeon named Youatt, 
who lived in London about sixty years ago, was bitten by 
labid dogs several times, and once through the lower 
hp by a rabid cat. On each occasion he applied nitrate 
of silver to the wounds, and sufifered nothing further 
from their effects. 
No one should allow a dog. although apparently 
healthy, to lick any part of his skin. It cannot be too 
generally known that an unusual degree of affection and 
fondness for licking is sometimes the very earliest symp- 
tom of rabies. Some years ago a case was recorded in 
England of a lady dying from hydrophobia caused by a 
lap dog licking a pimple on her face. 
The universal muzzling of dogs, so strongly advocated 
by some authorities, can never completely eradicate ra- 
bies as long as that disease exists among wild animals. 
A great deal might be done to mitigate its prevalence 
by: 
1. Posting placards in every district, describing its 
syrnptoms, and ordering that every animal so affected 
be immediately confined in a safe place. 
2. Enforcing a law that every dog and cat must be 
i-egistered, and Avear a metal collar with his owner's 
name and address engraved upon it. The police to be 
at liberty to capture any animal found without a collar 
and convey it to a dogs' home, where it might be de- 
stroyed if not claimed within a specified number of days. 
SoutkBevon, England. J. J. MeyRICK. 
Reminiscences of Ben Hur. 
Philabelpiiia. — Editor Forest and Stream: Many a 
man who loves a good dog will be sorry to learn of the 
recent death of Ben Htir, of Riverview, owned by Mr. 
Francis G. Taylor, of Philadelphia. The rule which ap- 
plies to men, "De mortuis nil risi bonum" (of the dea"d 
nothing save it be good), might apply also to dogs. 
At all events, one who reads of the exploits of hunting 
(Jogs in the sporting papers must conclude that this 
rule is applied both to the dead and to the living. 
Ben Plur was about ten years old, and consequently 
was approaching the end of his career as a hunter; but 
it was my good fortune to have him in the field but a 
few weeks before his death, and he was as keen and ef- 
fective as ever. One could have wished for him, in view 
of his long successful career in the field, that he might 
have lived out his quiet old age until the dust from 
which he came took him unto itself again. But it was 
not so to be. His painful death was due to a careless 
accident. A bad cut from the heels of a horse led to 
lockjaw, in spite of every care to prevent it. 
The writer presumes that no one had a greater ex- 
perience with Ben Hur, especially in the field, than 
himself. For four years he was a daily companion in 
a summer home in the mountains, and was used very 
frequently on woodcock and grouse. In the same pe- 
riod the writer was able to make several hunting trips 
in the South, and only once was Ben Htir left at home; 
and several times on that trip his steady, valuable work 
would have been greatly appreciated. 
Most dogs are supposed to have their off days, but 
I never saw one for Ben LTur. If there were any birds 
about he was sure to find them. 
But, lest my great affection for the dog and my high 
appreciation of his merits should seem to lead me to 
exaggeration, let me say frankly at the outset that he 
was by no means a perfect dog. He was rather compli- 
mentary to the man with a gun, for whenever a shot 
was fired Ben assumed that there were dead birds lying 
about, and it was very difficult to induce him to delay 
a search for 'them. He was very self-willed, always 
see'med to think he knew more about the place to find 
birds than his handler, and very often demonstrated his 
superior judgment. But he was very apt to hunt out 
his own country in his own way. He was not disposed 
to point birds at long range, and occasionally got so 
close that they would not keep him company until the 
guns arrived. In spite of all this, I have yet to see his 
superior. 
The memory retains many incidents of the field. A 
few of these will show the kind of dog he was. In 
hunting in close cover no man alive could keep him in 
sight, nor could any one lose him. Turn and twist as 
you might, Ben would soon come galloping up your 
trail, unless he found game; and if he did he would 
stay until you found him. 
I was once hunting woodcock with Ben and one of his 
offspring. The cover contained about five acres in a 
long, narrow strip. I lost sight of Ben, and as he didn't 
come in I knew he had found birds. For thirty min- 
utes by the watch I hunted every foot of that place, as 
I supposed, repeatedly blowing the whistle and calling 
loud enough to scare all the birds in the county. Finally 
I saw the young dog come to a back. I looked ahead of 
hnn and saw Ben in tall grass and bushes, as stanch 
and as unconcerned as if he had but that minute struck 
the scent. I flushed the bird, and of course did not kill 
it._ I really felt sorry for a bird that had stood for thirty 
minutes 3ft. from a dog's nose. I had been repeatedly 
withm loft. of Ben, whistling and calling, but he was 
concerned about that bird, and thought I was able to 
take care of myself. 
Ben was not quite as fast as many a dog that I have 
seen, hut he could keep up his pace all day, and bv his 
superior judgment freauently wipe the eye of a faster 
dog. On the last trip I made with him to North Caro- 
lina, but a few weeks before his death I found several 
times that when I discovered him, after a short search 
he was sitting down. I had never seen him strike that 
attitude when he pointed, though I had seen him crouch 
in all sorts of attitudes when he came suddenly and un- 
expectedly upon a single birds at short range; but I 
could not viuderstand by what process he came to point 
ditting. 
But one day the mystery was explained. He passed 
out of sight on the brow of a low hill in a large wheat 
stubble. After waiting some time in vain for him to re- 
turn I came to the conclusion that he had found birds, 
and started off to hunt him up. I soon saw him, close 
by a railroad — perhaps a qtiarter of , a mile away. I 
turned and called to my companion, some distance in 
the rear, to follow me. Ben apparently heard mc call, 
and turned his head, by almost imperceptible stages, un- 
til he saw me coming; then he moved it back, pointing 
straight to the covey. When I first saw him he was 
standing perfectly erect, but as I drew near I perceived 
that his hindquarters were settling, but very gradually. 
By the time I reached him he was sitting down com- 
posedly, as much as to say: 'T am comfortable now, 
and you ignorant gunners may take your time in reach- 
ing the covey." Ben was tired, and did not propose to 
stand up all the afternoon waiting for people who did 
not seem to know where the birds were. But, on the 
other hand, he was cute enough to know that a sudden 
movement of the head, or a too hasty squatting, would 
endanger the repose of his quarry, and he intended to 
hold them until we came, if it were all day. 
Let no_ hunter of a short experience accuse me of mis- 
interpreting the dog's cleverness, for I happen to know 
that a sudden movement of a pointing dog will flush 
birds. _ But recently a young dog of mine, running across 
the wind, struck the full scent of a nice covey at close 
range! He made a beautiful and snappy stop: but he 
was a little too much doubled up for real comfort, and 
before T got within range he made a slight movement 
to ease his position, and the birds flew instantly. 
Mr. Taylor always seemed to think that Ben loved to 
hunt, and he was inclined to give Ben the privilege 
whenever his friends wanted him; in fact, he was al- 
most too generous for the dog's good. 
While, as I said at the beginning, I have many pre- 
cious memories of Ben in tlie field, it is a matter of deep 
sorrow to me that I shall aever again see that handsome 
old fellow pull up on a covey, and that in my walks in 
the woods next summer Ben will not be my companion. 
Ben Hur was finely bred, going back on one side to 
Champion _ Gladstone and on the other to Champion 
Druid. Flis immediate progenitors were Ben Hill and 
Zoe W. On Ben Hill's side of the house he had Ruby 
and Champion Druid, and on Zoe W.'s side Champion 
Gladstone and Fawn. 
Ben Hur was winner at the dog' show in Cincinnati 
in T890: in Denver in 1890- he carried off the red rib- 
bon at Chicago in 189T; Cleveland in'1891; Kingston, 
1892; Ottawa in 1892; and Toronto. In 1893 he won 
first at Philadelphia and at Denver, second at Detroit. 
Washington and Pbiladelphia; and in 1894 he again 
captured the blue ribbon in this city. He has also won 
various recognitions in the field. L. W. B. 
Trying: tiie New Coon Dogf. 
It was a glorious night for a coon hunt, and the vis- 
itors were anxious to try the new dog which Burdettc 
had lately purchased in the South for good money. He 
was indeed a fine-looking specimen, young, keen and 
active. Flis owner had already killed three coons that 
Tan had treed, and was enthusiastic over his acquisi- 
tion. 
Leaving the team at the old house, we had scarcely 
entered the orchard in its rear when Tan, who was evi- 
dentlv a "track-barker," opened out, full and clear, his 
splendid tenor ringing through the valley and having 
in it a wild note that stirred the blood of every listener. 
Down through the orchard to the brook, then up the 
half-dry channel for 60yds., then off to the right again 
for 60 more, and — "He's barking up," cried Burdette, 
in eager tones. 
"No," answered a more experienced member of the 
party, "that's a 'ledge' bark; he has run them in." 
"Perhaps you're right," admitted Burdette, "but if 
that is the case he'll not stay there long." And sure 
enough, in five minutes Tan stopped barking and came 
back to us. 
By the shifty light of the lanterns Edgar and I ex- 
changed glances. We knew more about the ledges over 
there than we cared to tell just at that time. 
At the edge of the woods we left the two "heavy" 
members of the party to enjoy a rest, while Burdette, 
Edgar and myself struck out for the meadow at the 
head of the valley. Half way to the Cascades, Tan 
opened. again, right in the brook this time. 
"No guesswork about that trail," said his owner; 
"nothing but coons paddle around in the water." 
How the echoes rolled through the heavy timber and 
resounded from the hills on either side, as, dashing 
through the mud and water of the swamp, the eager 
hound drove straight away for perhaps a hundred yards, 
and then we heard again his baffied "ledge" bark, and 
again he came back, as though satisfied with having 
"run them in," 
This time the lantern showed a look of wonder in 
Edgar's eyes. Lie didn't hapnen to know about that 
particular ledge, but saw that I did, and with a quiet 
smile led the way up the smoothly worn channel of the 
brook. We listened to Burdette's explanation of the 
advantages of a coon dog that wouldn't "hang around 
an old ledge all lught," and plodded on in silence. As 
we skirted the little pond at the foot of the meadow and 
were looking at the tracks of some deer which had been 
down to drink. Tan gave tongue again at the edge of 
the woods, but seemed to lose the scent on the upland, 
and so we called him off and swung *to the left over 
"Uncle Sam's" hill to the big orchards 6n its southern 
slope. We were about ready to call it a bad iob when 
the hound, who had been threshing the brush on the 
lower side of a stone wall, broke loose again and went 
tearing down the steep hillside in a perfect avalanche of 
roars. 
"He's right on his back!" yelled Burdette, as he 
plunged after the dog, to the imminent danger of his 
own neck, which, as Edgar remarked, was "too short 
to^ tie, ^if he should happen to break it." 
"He's got '<^m dead to rights this time!" he howled 
