Canine 3 Spontaneous Hydropholia. 461. 
affording certain proof of the exiftence of fpon- 
taneous Hydrophobia,. are particularly intitled 
to attention.. Unqueftionably, _Morgagni was 
little {crupulous in mifleading his readers, when 
he brought forward a// thefe -cafes, as equally 
demonitrative of the exiftence of this malady. 
If he had examined: them with:his ufual accu- 
racy, he would have: found-no room to cenfure 
the fcepticifm of thofe, who differed with him 
in confidering them all as. undoubted. inftances 
of Spontaneous Hydrophobia. |» For, notwith= 
ftanding we might give credit tothe relation of 
Donatus, fo far as refpects the abfolute free~ 
dom from fufpicion, in all thefe~cafes, ;of any 
infection having’ been;communicated by a rabid 
animal; yet it doesnot follow that they ought 
to be confidered as cafes of Hydrophobia, -unlefs 
their fymptoms warrant fuch an inference. In 
the firft cafe, * the’ complaint appears to have 
arifen either from a laceration, or fpafm of the 
CLfophagus; ora Paralyfis of the mufcles of the 
Pharynx. The patient was feized fuddenly at 
dinner, with a violent painvand conftriction in 
and about the threat, which he attempted to 
remove by drinking fome liquor, but found 
himfelf unable to {wallow it. He remained 
incapable either of eating or drinking till the 
next day, when he fwallowed fome grapes, but 
would 
*Marce ct, Donagr, ib, 6. p. gb et 294. 
