RABIES AND HYDROPHOBIA. 
577 
to embarrass his predecessors of one, two and three centuries 
ago. These arguments are most industriously circulated by 
the so-called humane societies, which oppose all conclusions 
based upon experiments with animals, and which foolishly 
imagine that they are doing a great work for the dogs and cats 
by casting discredit upon science, even though by so doing they 
perpetuate this horrible disease of which dogs and cats are the 
principal victims. But, unfortunately, the humane societies 
and the lay press are not alone in this effort to discredit science. 
It was said a few years ago that there had been so much of this 
sort of literature circulated among physicians that many hesi¬ 
tated to return a death as from rabies when the history and 
symptoms of the case warranted that diagnosis. This false 
doctrine has been propagated to such an extent that in one of 
the great cities of the country, recognized as a centre of medical 
learning, there have been two coroners in succession skeptical 
as to the existence of hydrophobia in mankind, and who have 
refused to record deaths as occurring from this disease even 
when the cases were reported as such by the attending phy¬ 
sician. In one such case I understand the diagnosis was proved 
by the inoculation of rabbits and that the disease was trans¬ 
mitted to three series of these animals. In another and more 
recent case it is reported that an eight-year-old child was 
bitten in the ear by a tramp dog which strayed into the kitchen 
of her home. The wound soon healed and nothing was thought 
of it until about six weeks later when the child complained of 
pain in the head and neck, which was soon followed by diffi¬ 
culty of drinking, spasm of the pharyngeal muscles upon the 
slightest draught of air or touch of water upon the body, or 
suggestion of drinking, great nervousness with paroxysms of 
excitement and fear. Death occurred in about two days. 
Nevertheless the coroner was positive, according to press re¬ 
ports, that the disease was not hydrophobia. How did he 
know ? 
In recent years we find very few veterinarians in this 
country who practically agree with the humane societies and 
