March l, 1900.] Supplemeni to the ''Tropical Agriculturist." 
643 
Some salts seem to be more readiiy absorbed thiUi 
others, la order to test the relative absorption 
of various salts which are found in soils, some 
experiments have been conducted upon the rapi- 
dity with which various salts could be washed out 
from a soil, in which there was no chemicil 
action, but in which the salts were physically con- 
densed, or absorbed bodily, much as a spronge 
absorbs water. Tlie relative time of washing out 
the various salts was as follows . — 
Ifr'^-'fiue time of leaching salts. 
Minutes. 
Calcium chloride ... ... 1 
Sodium chloride ... ... 2 
Magnesium chloride ... ... 2 
Potassium chloride ... ... 4 
Ammonium chloride ... ... 8 
In this experiment there is the foundation of 
some of the most important principles regarding 
the removal of any accumulation of salts. It is 
seen that the calcium salt was most readily 
washed out, while the ammonium and potassium 
salts were the hardest to wash out. 
A LETTER ON RABIES. 
Dkab Sie, — The following observations should 
be of interest to your readers, as cases of rabies 
may be said to be of daily occurrence in Colombo. 
This formidable disease has a terrible impor- 
tance, since it annually claims human victims in 
considerable numbers. 
The symptoms induced by it are very painful 
for both onlookers and friends of the sufferer to 
•witness. 
There are two forms of rabies, the dumb and the 
furious. The cause is through inoculation by a 
previously rabid animiil. In the early stage there 
is rise of temperature and all febrile symptoms. 
The dog seeks hiding places for itself. 
In the dumb form of rabies the animal's eyes 
are dull, while there is a general distressed ap- 
pearance, dark-coloured tongue and pendulous 
tongue and lower Jaw. In this form the disease 
runs its course with special rapidity and paralysis 
supervenes. Face, back and hind limbs are suc- 
cessively invaded until at last the animal becomes 
completely paralysed. 
There is gastric derangement and in some in- 
stances spasm of the digestive organs. The 
animal may collect straw, bedding, stones, &c., 
and press on it with a view of relieving these 
spasms. In one casein which I performed a post- 
mortem examination 1 observed an abscess formed 
on the belly which I attribute to the abovemen- 
tioned fact. 
In the early stage of the disorder there is 
increased sexual excitement and bitches are much 
less liable to be bitten tlian dogs. The howl of 
the mad dog, if once heard, will never be for- 
gotten, and any description must necessarily be 
insuificient to convey its true char-acter. It, is an 
imperfect bark, folloued by incomplete howls. 
The dog licks and bites himself and especially at 
the seat of inoculation, which is vfry irritating. 
Any strangeness in the belvi viour of a dog must 
be observed with suspicion. It is remarkable, that 
in rabies the owner is the last person injured. 
In the furious form the paroxysm of rabies is 
well-marked. The animal lies quietly when not ex- 
cited ; it dozes or sleei)S soundly, but, if awakened, 
rises in a fuiy. " The wrath of the patient varies 
in different individuals and stages of disease ; it 
either assumes the form of a blind fury, prompting 
the dog to fly at and worry any strange object, 
such as a stick inserted through th-? Ijars of his 
cage, or there seems a sort of ' method in his 
madness' which has been considered an 'instinc- 
tive desire to propagate the affection,' thus dogs 
are the special objects of aversion, and cats too 
excite the animal to fury, but later herbivorst and 
then men come on the list of those to whom he 
will do mischief. It is remarked that in the case 
of rabid herbivora the greatest fury i^ felt towird 
dogs, and this is soraerimes seen in tlie case of 
human beings. The f urj'' i« preceded by a period 
of strange restlessness, a quickness and irritability 
of the temper, and sometimes a remarkable amount 
of treachery. Tlie animal is dull but watchful, 
and a very characteristic symptom is a tendency to 
sniip at flies or other real or imaginary objects, 
after watching their course for a little time, as 
though to obtain a favourable opportunity for the 
nc of aggression. While dozing between the 
paroxysms the animal often starts up suddenly 
and wildly."' 
After the febrile stage in the dumb form, the 
animal becomes paralytic, but in the furious form 
he is so much stimulated that he could traverse 
enormous distance. The pace adopted is a slow, 
dogged sort of trot; at first the animal may 
go from side to side, biting everything and any- 
thing he meets in his track, but soon he goes 
straight forward, attacking svhen o))posed, and so 
it is essential that when we notice a rabid dog we 
should keep out of his path. Latterly the dog 
becomes e.xhausted, paralytic and dies. 
Rabid animals drink water freely till the loss 
of swallowing power seen in tlie later stages. 
Even then he will endeavour to slake his insati- 
able thirst. The term Hj'dro]>ho!jia is a misnomer. 
There is profu>e salivation only in the early 
stages, not lasting more than a couple of days, 
nnd there is vomition iu the early stages 
Foreign matter such as straw, hair, &c., are accu- 
mulated in the pharynx and stomach. It is due 
to the perverted appetite. Mile dogs are most 
often affected. It is essential in this cormection 
to mention that the saliva of a rabid animal, not 
necessarily ihrough a bite, falling on the abraded 
surface of the body is quite sufficient to communi- 
cate the disease. 
Neither man nor domesticated animals (quadru- 
peds or birds) are capable of resisting rabies 
inoculation. ."Vny rabid animal, not only a rabid 
dog is capable of transmitting the disease to man 
and other animals. 
Dog bites iire generally inflicted on the legs 
except in the case of children, for they are more 
often bitten in the hands or f^ce. A bite on the 
face takes a shorter duration to develop the symp- 
toms and a bite inflicted over a protected purt, 
unless such protection is very tliin {<iich in thin 
trousers or cloth) there is very little likelihood of 
getting the virus. 
The muzzling of dogs, especially during an epi- 
demic of this nature, is very necessary, especially 
