Month: March 2018
For Cat Lovers
Think before they eat!
Filth Diseases Page Added
Today I am adding a page on “Filth Diseases – a term coined by British Dr. Charles Murchison in 1858. While he originally used the term for both gastrointestinal and respiratory tract illnesses, I’m using it for gastrointestinal and louse type issues – personal dislikes of mine.
To include diarrhea and dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis A & E and a host of those illnesses that are frequently to disgusting to talk about in “polite” society. Add louse-borne illinesses and it might just be a little gross for some.
Rabies
How many people remember the movie adaptation of Steven King’s novel Cujo?
I remember, as a teenager, going out with the rest of the town and looking for cats or dogs that had bitten someone and it was feared that person might have been infected with rabies. In those days it was the 13 shots in the stomach and not pleasant.
We were told of “hydrophic” skunks and sick raccoons, but it was mainly cats and dogs. Later it was bats and possums.
Recently, I’ve been seeing stories of even horses and cows having rabies and rabies, in general, with the advent of the rabies vaccine, being seen more in “wildlife.” and less in domesticated pets.
Lately I’ve been seeing a number of reports from countries, where the rabies vaccine is not readily available, in which PACKS of stray dogs with rabies are attacking villages. As when I was younger, if rabies treatment is not started immediately and symptons begin you are dead – there is still not a cure for rabies once the disease manifests itself. If the attack doesn’t kill you then the disease will.
I am seeing a marked increase in rabies reports from around the county and from around the world, so keep your eyes out for it.
Several recent stories:
Thailand rushes to contain rabies outbreak – BBC News
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43395806
India Stray Dogs Are a Menace – The New York Times
Public Health Triage by Doc Wes 