'Rabies in the Rabbit.'--I very much regret that I never instituted a
course of experiments on the production and treatment of rabies in this
animal. It would have been attended with little expense or danger, and
some important discoveries might have been made. Mr. Earle, in a case in
which he was much interested, inoculated two rabbits with the saliva of
a dog that had died rabid. They were punctured at the root of the ears.
One of the rabbits speedily became inflamed about the ears, and the ears
were paralysed in both rabbits. The head swelled very much, and
extensive inflammation took place around the part where the virus was
inserted. One of them died without exhibiting any of the usual symptoms
of the disease; the other, after a long convalescence, survived, and
eventually recovered the use of his ears. Mr. Earle very properly
doubted whether this was a case of rabies.
Dr. Capello describes, but in not so satisfactory a manner as could be
wished, a case of supposed rabies in one of these animals. A rabbit and
a dog lived together in a family. They were strange associates; but such
friendships are not unfrequent among animals. The dog became rabid, and
died. A man bitten by that dog became hydrophobous, and died. No one
dreamed of the rabbit being in danger, and he ran about the house as
usual; but, one day, he found his way to the chamber of the mistress of
the house, with a great deal of viscid saliva running from his mouth,
furiously attacked her, and left the marks of his violence on her leg.
He then ran into a neighbouring stable, and bit the hind-legs of a horse
several times. Finally, he retreated to a corner of the stable, and was
there found dead. Neither the lady nor the horse eventually suffered.
'Rabies in the Guinea-pig'.--A man suspected of being hydrophobous was
taken to the Middlesex Hospital. He was examined before several of the
medical students; one of whom, in order to make more sure of the affair,
inoculated a guinea-pig with the saliva taken from the man's mouth. The
guinea-pig had been usually very playful, and fond of being noticed;
but, on the eleventh day after this inoculation, he began to be dull and
sullen, retiring into his house, and hiding himself as much as he could
in a corner. On the following day he became out of temper, and even
ferocious in his way; he bit at everything that was presented to him,
gnawed his cage, and made the most determined efforts to escape. Once or
twice his violence induced convulsions of his whole frame; and they
might be produced at pleasure by dashing a little water at him. In the
course of the night following he died.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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