Have you ever been walking through the woods and come across a squirrel that doesn't move when you go up to it like most wild life does? Ever wonder why the groundhog that lives under your house has been trying to bite you the over the last couple days? The answer is most likely, rabies. Rabies is a viral disease found in infected warm blooded animals. Rabies is an extremely ancient disease. Writing done by ancient philosophers such as Aristotle have mentioned the disease. Aristotle quotes,”Rabies is one of the diseases that effects dogs and any animal the dog bites. Throughout history it has been quoted as, “The most lethal infectious disease.” In 15th century Europe rabies was referred to as “The Madness” because it drove whomever contracted it mad. Rabies, over time has been known as one of the bestial diseases. This means it turns whomever infected into something that is part man and part animal. Most werewolves are said to be men who had contracted rabies and left it untreated and then became a person who had no regard for hygiene, social customs, or morals. The victim became an animal. This animal would then be out of their mind so much that …show more content…
A person can contract rabies by coming into contact with any of these three substances. A person is highly unlikely to develop rabies if the virus only touches their skin. Rabies must come in contact with an open wound or sore on the skin, or a mucus membrane such as the nose or mouth. Most humans catch rabies through a bite or scratch from an infected animal. Rabies can be found in all mammals but is most prominent in raccoons, foxes, skunks, and coyotes. Bats are the most dangerous of all infectious animals are bats. Almost all rabies exposure from bats are due to mishandling. When a bat is found in a persons house they believe that they can handle a bat without proper equipment and protection, and they get bit and contract