EXTENSION OF RABIES IN DOGS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 903, 11 February 1875, Page 4

EXTENSION OF RABIES IN DOGS.

In the Veterinarian for SeptemW, Mr 0. Fleming, M.R.C. V.S. (K.K.), says tint so little was known of the geographical limits uf Tabies until witiiin a few yeais that we are often in doubt whether it has l»een recently imported into regions where it is now witnessed, or whether it was always prevalent there. Earlier traveller* have suited that it was unknown in Asia Minor, Egypt, Algeria, •nd Arabia, l»ut now there is almndaut evidencf*"of its presence in these regions. How fiie the malady may owe its extension to its •contagious proj»erties, or to the imjortatioii of dogs from countries w heir it exists, is difficult to decide. It is certain, however, that rabies Ims not lieen witnessed in A u.v t tralia (yhere, nevertheless, considerable alai 111 is beginning to l»e felt, owing to the j trs.*nt large importations of English greyhound-), nor in New Ze-alaud, nor does it appear in South Africa and Madeiia, though I uropean dogs must have been largely imjiorted :<t various times. Why have these countries remained exempt from the scourge? The contagion 1* •aks out sometimes in an alarming and truly epizootic forHi in countries wheie it has not ken pte\iotisly noteil, as in the West Indies in 17iS3, and iVi u in ISO.'*, without any reasonable cause Iteing assigned. It was iin|K>rted into La Plata, in 180G, by 'dogs belonging to Knglish «»tiicers; and in ISI3, by Knglish dogs from the Hay of Bengal. With regird to colder regions, the maladv has In-en frequently noted in Sweu" , Denmark, Norway, Northern Kussia, and Lapland, but there seems to he some doubt as to Silaria, Kamschatka, and (Greenland. From the descriptions given by i)r» Kane and Hayes of a disease amongst tlie sledge dogs of the<e countries, however, it would appear highly pr >babl«- that it is also prevalent there at times. From the symptoms detailed bv Hayes this disease certainly I tears the greatest resemblance to rabies, bn! as the initial symptoms do not ap|>ear to have attracted attention, and it was only when the more violent indications appeared that its existence was noted, it would be diiicidt to •peak decidedly as to the actual nature of -the malady.