Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site bbncc5.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!bbnccv!bbncc5!sdyer From: sdyer@bbncc5.UUCP (Steve Dyer) Newsgroups: net.med Subject: Re: Viruses (esp. rabies) Message-ID: <388@bbncc5.UUCP> Date: Thu, 15-Aug-85 14:15:01 EDT Article-I.D.: bbncc5.388 Posted: Thu Aug 15 14:15:01 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 19-Aug-85 20:20:27 EDT References: <140@drutx.UUCP> <713@mcnc.mcnc.UUCP> Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, MA Lines: 16 > I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but I think that it isn't > rabies that kills, it is the symptoms. If an individual with rabies > can be treated for the symptoms the disease itself will run its > course. I seem to remember that this has been done in at least one > case with no long-term harm to the victim. I'd appreciate a followup > if I'm remembering incorrectly. Tetanus kills with its symptoms--if agressive enough treatment is instituted, the person can weather the effects of the toxin. Rabies is another matter. Treating the symptoms can often suppress them, but the patient almost never recovers. Apparently, the damage to the CNS is too great. -- /Steve Dyer {decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer sdyer@bbnccv.ARPA