Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus
by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy
2012
Weight: 1 lb
Method of Disposal: Lending Library
I am sure I bought this book because it was on bargain somewhere, and it seemed like it somewhat fit into my alley. It was information about something I likely should already know a lot about. I bought it, and I promptly put it away and never thought of it again until one day when I was mindlessly grabbing a book off the shelf at random and grabbed Rabid. I am so glad I did. I learned a lot and, by the end of it, felt much less secure that I was safe at work--or even just hiking in the woods. While being infected with rabies in the U.S.A. is rare, that will seem like little comfort after you hear about the story of Bali--once rabies free. Or what about the American man that proclaimed, "What disturbs me is I smashed his mouth off, I smashed his teeth in, but he still wanted to continue in the attack mode. I was actually terrified at the resilience of this animal (pg2)." This is a description of a rabid raccoon. Maybe more frightening are the stories about people being bitten by rabid bats in their sleep and not even knowing until they start showing symptoms a month later. I think of the woman hiking who had to drown a rabid animal in a small puddle of water to save herself from being infected.
It makes you think twice when you get that new cat dumped at the shelter, and it bites the shit out of you because it is scared and the owner, of course, left you with absolutely no information or history whatsoever. Even with the security of something being uncommon, it feels much less secure when you handle animals of unknown backgrounds on a daily basis. It is way past time to get vaccinated.
by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy
2012
Weight: 1 lb
Method of Disposal: Lending Library
I am sure I bought this book because it was on bargain somewhere, and it seemed like it somewhat fit into my alley. It was information about something I likely should already know a lot about. I bought it, and I promptly put it away and never thought of it again until one day when I was mindlessly grabbing a book off the shelf at random and grabbed Rabid. I am so glad I did. I learned a lot and, by the end of it, felt much less secure that I was safe at work--or even just hiking in the woods. While being infected with rabies in the U.S.A. is rare, that will seem like little comfort after you hear about the story of Bali--once rabies free. Or what about the American man that proclaimed, "What disturbs me is I smashed his mouth off, I smashed his teeth in, but he still wanted to continue in the attack mode. I was actually terrified at the resilience of this animal (pg2)." This is a description of a rabid raccoon. Maybe more frightening are the stories about people being bitten by rabid bats in their sleep and not even knowing until they start showing symptoms a month later. I think of the woman hiking who had to drown a rabid animal in a small puddle of water to save herself from being infected.
It makes you think twice when you get that new cat dumped at the shelter, and it bites the shit out of you because it is scared and the owner, of course, left you with absolutely no information or history whatsoever. Even with the security of something being uncommon, it feels much less secure when you handle animals of unknown backgrounds on a daily basis. It is way past time to get vaccinated.
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