Cows will quickly fall off in their milk unless they have plenty of water within convenient reach. They will suffer considerably from thirst before they will travel long distances for water, either in hot or cold weather. If left too long without water, until they become feverish. they will drink too much, and this going from one extreme to the other will affect unfavorably the health of the cow, and cause a decrease of milk. Cows are kept solely for producing milk, and any unnecessary exertion that they are obliged to make to procure food or drink will divert so much of their energy from milk production.-Nebraska Farmer.

EXTENT OF THE LUNG PLAGUE.-The report of Dr. C. P. Lyman, recently made to the Commissioner of Agriculture, shows that contagious pleuro-pneumonia now exists in one county of Connecticut, five counties of New York fourteen counties of New Jersey, ten counties of Pennsylvania, four counties in Maryland. There are cases, also, in the District of Columbia and in Virginia.

Hog cholera in a strange and most malignant form has broken out among the swine of farmers in the vicinity of Oconomowoc, Wis. One large stock-raiser in Summit lost nearly one hundred fine hogs in less than two weeks by means of the epidemic-Nebraska Farmer.

E. C Wendt, M D., has been appointed to the Chair of Comparative Anatomy, Embryo ogy. etc., Columbia Veterinary College.

A NEW PAMPHLET BOX.-T. L. Clacher, of New York, 107 East Twenty-Eighth St., has devised a novel pamphlet box. It is a very simple and convenient receptacle for pamphlets, journals, manuscripts, etc. It is made to represent a handsomely bound book, although in reality it is a box. The back closes with a spiring, and works by a hinge arrangement. It shuts of its own accord. The bottom on which the pamphlets rest is movable, and when drawn out brings the contents of the box with it, and also serves to keep the lid open, so that it is possible to consult the contents of the

box without removing it from the shelf. It is made in different sizes to accommodate

any kind of a periodical.

On the inside of the lid is the index.

ART. XVII. - SOME OF THE RECENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LITERATURE OF COM

RABIES IN

PARATIVE MEDICINE.

THE LOWER ANIMALS. THE ECCHINOCOCCUS AND
CYSTICERCUS CELLULOSE DISEASES.

BY THOMAS E. SATTERTHWAITE, M. D.

PART I.

R

ABIES IN THE Lower AnimalS.--There are quite a number

of diseases which are communicable from the lower animals to man or conversely. The clinical history of each, altered as it is by the differing conditions, presents an abundance of food for study, and has great practical value, both for the veterinarian and the practitioner of human medicine. Upon these topics, indeed, the one physician ministers to the other, while the knowledge which each has gained is essential to furnish a complete picture of the diseases in all their details.

The following notes have, therefore, a double interest in so far as they belong to the border-land just alluded to a ground which is particularly important just now, to all students of general pathology. An interesting consideration that attracts the

attention of one who is reviewing the literature of hydrophobia, is the utter impropriety of its name, whether used to indicate the disease of men or animals. If intended to imply a symptom in the non-human form, the inference is erroneous, for the affected animals have no dread of water. Nor is hydrophobia, as a symptom, pathognomonic of the human disease, since it has been observed in various morbid states of a nervous character. In one instance, given by Mr. Dolan, where there was plain aversion to water in a human subject, post-mortem examination showed the existence of a cysticercus in the brain, so that the value of this symptom as indicative of the human disease was lessened; it is also noteworthy that there was no suspicion that the individual had been bitten by a rabid animal. It will, of course, be conceded, however, that the presence of the parasite did not preclude a possibility that the patient was suffering from a bite, for the two diseases may have coexisted.

Incidentally it may be mentioned here, that spasms of the pharynx and laynx are now very universally held to be the most characteristic phenomena, and should be diligently sought for in a suspected case. At all events, it is plain that we are not lacking in good reasons for dropping the word hydrophobia from a scientific nomenclature. This view was taken some years ago by Fleming in his classical work ;* though, for practical reasons, he did not venture to propose too radical a change. He suggested, however, that the old and and well-known name Rabies should be applied to the non-human form, and recent veterinary writers, especially on canine matters, have followed out this proposal. Madness, to use the English synonym, marks very clearly certain symptoms that accord with the actions and appearance of the affected animals, but has no appropriateness when the victim is a human being, for there are no psychical symptoms that convey the idea of madness in our everyday use of the word. And yet though we recognize that rabies is not an appropriate name for the human disease, it seems a little remarkable that we are

* The Lancet, Feb. 14, 1880, " Rabies and Hydrophobia." London: 1872.

not ready at once witn a new one, that is fitted to describe the clinical phenomena, or the morbid changes. Unfortunately, it must be acknowledged that our ignorance on these points is still a bar to the selection of a new name, that would have scientific value or give any general satisfaction. Perhaps it is better, as Fleming urges, to adhere for the present to the word hydrophobia, which is well understood by the laity—a point of some importance in view of the public announcements that are made from time to time by the police or sanitary authorities when an epidemic is threatened. In most country districts the prophylaxis of rabies rests chiefly with thelaity, and it is therefore very desirable that the official publication of a public danger should be made as intelligible as possible. This object would be defeated by using any new word.

Can the disease originate spontaneously is a question that still appears to have an affirmative side in the minds of some writers, although most of them sustain the opposite view. The negative side is represented by Blaine, Youatt and Meynell, while confronting them are Fleming, Sir Joseph Fahrer, Tardieu and Bouley, who have stated that further inquiry is needed before a positive opinion can be given.

Fleming has distinctly affirmed that the possibility of a spontaneous origin is unassailable, adducing in support of his opinion the subjoined reasons given by Roucher, viz.: "The marked intermission in its manifestations at different geographical centres; its regular propagation from each centre; the multiplicity of cases at certain epochs of very short duration, contrasting strikingly with their rarity at other times; the intervals between the outbreaks, which are longer than the period of incubation of the virus; the small number of cases compared with the crowds of wandering dogs; the difficulty of explaining, by contagion alone, the maintenance of the disease in every region after long interruptions."

Naturally these arguments appear insignificant to the contagionists who are now in the great majority. Many of the reasons would apply equally well to the spread of small pox or syphilis. Though every contagious disease must, of course, have had its

origin de novo, at some time or other, no thoughtful person at this day would care to assert that they are in the habit of developing spontaneously at the present time.

Taking up more important statements, the intermissions in the disease may be explained by the fact that epidemics are always more or less self-limited, even if, as in many cases, the wholesale killing of infected dogs, and the strict surveillance of all others did not stamp out the embers of the contagion. Then, again, the intermissions may have been only apparent, since “dumb” or" sullen rabies" sometimes exists where it is never suspected. A well-known instance is found in the literature, where a pet though rabid dog was nursed until death, in the owner's lap. Finally, the duration of incubation is very variable and may, in exceptional instances, last several months and even longer, probably long enough to fill up the apparent intermissions between the outbreaks.

It has long been known that horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, cats, domestic fowls, and wild animals, such as the wolf, fox, hyæna, etc., have rabies, but there are comparatively few instances on record of the disease in skunks, so that the following incident has some interest, certainly to American readers.

Dr. Goddard, of Texas, was called to see a little girl, eight years of age, who, while sleeping, was bitten by a rabid skunk, on the upper lid of the right eye and corresponding side of the face. The animal was soon shot, and immediately after gave forth its peculiar odor. This incidental fact is thought to be very noteworthy, because it has been claimed that a rabid skunk never emits any odor. Nine days after the bite symptoms of hydrophobia showed themselves, and death ensued in the course of time.*

Accurate statistical information has great value, and we are constantly indebted to the continental authorities for valuable data from which practical deductions can be drawn. According to F. Muller, who furnishes the returns of the last epidemic at

* Med. Rec., vol. 16, 1879, p. 152.

† Bollinger im Ziemssen's Handbuch, III., Bd., 2 Aufl, 1876.