Chapter VII: Rabies (3)

When a dog has been bitten or scratched by another affected with madness, we must immediately take a tub of water and throw into it four bushels of salt, stirring it briskly with a stick to make it dissolve quickly. When the salt shall be dissolved, put the dog into the bath, and plunge him well nine times, so that the bath shall cover him each time; now that he is well washed you may let him go, as this will prevent his becoming rabid.

Having given publicity to the two preceding valuable receipts, we must be pardoned for adding our own views upon this point, as a caution to those who may not feel sufficient faith in the remedies above mentioned.

The wound should be thoroughly washed and cleansed as soon as possible after the bite is inflicted: no sucking of the parts, as is advised by many, for the purpose of extracting the poison, as the presence of a small abrasion of the lips or interior of the mouth would most assuredly subject the parts to inoculation. If the wound be ragged, the edges may be taken off with a pair of sharp scissors; the wound must then be thoroughly cauterized with nitrate of silver (lunar caustic), being sure to introduce the caustic into the very depths of the wound, so that it will reach every particle of poison that may have insinuated itself into the flesh. If the wound is too small to admit of the stick of caustic, it may be enlarged by the knife, taking care, however, not to carry the poison into the fresh cut, which can be avoided by wiping the knife at each incision. Should the wound be made on any of the limbs, a bandage may be placed around it during the application of these remedies, the more effectually to prevent the absorption of the virus. Nitrate of silver is a most powerful neutralizer of specific poisons, and the affected parts will soon come away with the slough, no dressings being necessary, except perhaps olive oil, if there should be much inflammation of the parts. If the above plan be pursued, the patient need be under no apprehension as to the result, but make his mind perfectly easy on the point. This is the course generally pursued by the veterinary surgeons of Europe, and there are but few of them who have not, some time in their practice, been bitten and often severely lacerated by rabid animals; nevertheless, we never hear of their having suffered any bad effects from such accidents. If caustic be not at hand, the wound may be seared over with red-hot iron, which will answer as good a purpose, although much more painful in its operation. Mr. Blaine, in closing his able and scientific article on this subject, very justly remarks,

"Would I could instil into such minds the 'uncertainty' of the disease
appearing at all; that is, even when no means have been used; and the
'perfect security' they may feel who have submitted to the preventive
treatment detailed. I have been bitten several times, Mr. Youatt
several also; yet in neither of us was any dread occasioned: our
experience taught us the 'absolute certainty' of the 'preventive'
means; and such I take on me to pronounce they always prove, when
performed with dexterity and judgment." We acknowledge ourselves a
convert to this gentleman's doctrine; and feel satisfied that if the
above course be adopted, there need be no fear whatever of the
development of this frightful affection.--L.]

[Footnote 1: 'La Folie des Animaux', by M. Perquin.]

[Footnote 2: The physician Apollonius, having been bitten by a rabid dog, induced another dog to lick the wound,

"ut idem medicus esset qui vulneris auctor fuit."]

[Footnote 3: 'Journal Pratique de Méd. Vét.']

[Footnote 4: 'Sporting Magazine', vol. xviii. p. 186.]

[Footnote 5: Daniel's 'Rural Sports', vol. i. p. 220.]

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