[ 14 J 
Other animal poifons, as that of the fyphilis, or 
fmall-pox after inoculation, can be traced in their 
courfe to the next lymphatic gland, a circumftance 
not obfervable concerning the canine poifon; which, 
if it be abforbed at all, remains at leaft, perfectly 
inert, without difcovering any teftimony of its pre- 
fence till the moment it becomes aétive in the part, 
when it foon proceeds to difcover its fpecific effe&ts. 
Till then there is no difeafe, only a pre-difpofition, 
which requires an occafional caufe to bring it into 
action. Thus the poifon, after remaining latent nine 
or ten months, has been fuddenly roufed into aétivity, 
by a bruife or injury of the part, by intoxication, 
paflion, &c. While fome perfons are extremely 
fufceptible of the infection, others are almoft proof 
againtt it, like thofe who have been repeatedly ino- 
culated without effect. 
The long fpace that intervenes between the time 
of receiving the bite and the appearance of the dif- 
eafe, happily affords a very favourable interval for 
eradicating the poifon, which, during its ina¢tivity, 
may be fafely confider. 1, I prefume, as entirely local. 
Other animal poifons infe& almoft every perfon in 
whom they are inferted—this happily but few. Of 
120 perfons bitten by fuppofed rabid animals, it has 
been afferted that only about 1 in 16 contracted the 
difeafe. Others, however, have calculated, that the 
average number may be at Jeaft 1 in 10 or 123; and 
M. Besiere affures us, that out of 17 perfons bitten 
by 
