Here's what they might have done, with a focus on prevention:
* Isolation: If a dog showed signs of rabies, they would often be isolated or killed to prevent the spread of the disease. This was a common practice, as rabies was highly contagious and deadly.
* Folk remedies: People tried various folk remedies, many of which were ineffective. These might include things like:
* Applying poultices or salves to the bite wound
* Drinking herbal teas or concoctions
* Performing rituals or incantations
* Vaccination: While Louis Pasteur developed the first rabies vaccine in 1885, it was not widely available to pioneers in the 19th century.
Important to remember:
* The lack of effective treatments for rabies meant that many dogs and people died from the disease.
* The best way to prevent rabies is to vaccinate pets and avoid contact with wild animals.
The advent of the rabies vaccine in the late 19th century was a major breakthrough in public health. Today, rabies is a preventable disease, thanks to the availability of safe and effective vaccines.