Medicine: Rabbit Fever

With the hunting season beginning, doctors are trying to warn rabbit catchers against tularemia, rabbit fever. Lousy rabbits usually have the disease. Men catch it from handling infected animals, skinning them or eating them poorly cooked.

Hunters may fear that they have tularemia if they suddenly feel sharp chills and sweats, if at the same time they have severe headaches, aching pains in the back, hands and feet, prostration. Vomiting, diarrhea and delirium are other signs. Ulcers and swollen lymph glands usually develop.

There is no specific treatment. The patient, infected by his own lack of care, must stay in bed for weeks.