Karen Daigneault wrote
 
>I will have to say that I agree with a post that was written regarding the
>person "bit"....does this person HAVE a concious?  Why DOESN'T this person
>just get the shots? ...
 
I had rabies shots last fall after being nipped by one of the local coons.
Here, at least, and I suspect in all states, the health dept pays for the
shots.  Ours then asked for my insurance info so they could try to collect
from them, but at NO TIME was I asked to put out any money.  This is a
public health issue, which is why they do this.  For what it's worth, they
did send me a letter stating exactly what the cost to the county was.  I
have the letter here somewhere, but even without looking at it, it was close
to $1,000.  It's probably up to the health dept to authorize them FIRST
though.
 
As far as the person who was bitten, they obviously would have to agree to
the shots.  The shots are no big deal, I already described the procedure in
private email to Rob C.  I did this hoping it would make the biting victim
more willing to volunteer for them.  I think a lot of people still think of
the shots of the old awful ones folks used to get in the stomach.
(Interperitaneal??) Now the series is 2 (1 dose divided into two injections
because of the volume) injections of human gamma globulin subcutaneous (I
think-got mine in the butt) on day one, plus a series of 5 injections (just
'regular shots') in the arm over a 28 day period, starting on day 1.
 
The gamma globulin left me feeling (for lack of a better descriptive term),
a bit lumpy for about 48 hours while my body absorbed the stuff, the shots
in the arm resulted in some minor soreness for about a day following the
injection.  Like I said, no big deal.  I'd do it again in a second to save
any animal.
[Posted in FML issue 1929]