Indian Naturopathy, Naturopathy in India, Naturopathy Hospital India

Dog-bites occasionally result in hydrophobia, but this con¬dition is rare. Many dogs are killed because they have bitten humans without any proof that they have rabies (or lyssa). However, there is the possibility of the dog having the disease and transmitting it to any human or animal bitten by it. If the claws are contaminated from the animal’s saliva, scratches may produce the disease, as may the tongue, if it comes in contact with a break in the skin. If the bite or the scratch is received through clothing, infection is less likely than if direct, because the clothing wipes off most of the virus. It is doubtful if any case called hydrophobia in man that develops “months or years” after exposure is actual rabies due to the previous bite or scratch. Wrong living, or worry and imagi¬nation of the symptoms, may lead to the development of a con¬dition wrongly diagnosed as rabies.

The wound should be treated like any other penetrating or lacerated wound, which is by cleansing with antiseptic solu¬tion and sterile dressing. Lemon juice is said to be an excel¬lent antidote, hence may be used if there is any suspicion of rabies, or as a safe precautionary measure in any case. The wound may be swabbed with tincture of iodine if desired, and before this the patient himself, or someone else, may suck fairly vigorously on the wound, spitting out all blood ex¬tracted and then rinsing the mouth well with boracic-acid solution or lemon juice. A tourniquet may be used on an ex¬tremity, placed between the wound and the heart. Vigorous eliminative treatment, together with proper care of the wound, will practically always prevent further trouble. \
Those who are inclined to worry about the possibility of the gravest trouble and who still cling to a fairly firm belief in the efficacy of strange or powerful drugs or medicaments may consider the use of anti-rabies serum if they wish. But in our opinion it should be avoided. Some patients, however, who have been treated by this method have died, while others bitten by the same animals but not treated have continued to / live.