474 - Mifcellaneous Observations on 
have been certainly expofed to the bite of a mad 
dog, has become infected with the difeafe. 
Therefore, when fymptoms of Hydrophobia 
have appeared at the diftance of many years 
from! the bite of an animal really infeed, no 
pofitive conclufion can be drawn from this ‘cir 
cumftance; as the difeafe is by no means a 
certain confequence of the bite. II. Notwith- 
ftanding the hoft of negative facts which may 
be brought to difprove the occurrence of infec~ 
tion from mere conta& of the faliva with 
the fkin, yet the pofitive fads already quoted 
from good authorities are of fuch force, as to 
ftamp convi@ion on the mind, of the poffible, 
though rare occurrence of canine madnefs from 
this caufe. If this conclufion be juft, may we not 
imagine in fome cafes, where the poifon is faid 
to have manifefted itfelf after a very long inter- 
val from the bite of a rabid animal; and, indeed 
alfo in fome of thofe cafes which have been con- 
fidered altogether as fpontaneous, that the poifon- 
ed faliva may have been. recently communicated, 
either indire@ly, through the unfufpected me- 
dium of the cloaths, or directly, by fondling* 
. or 
* It is not poffible to ufe too ftri& precaution in avoid- 
ing a familiarity with ftrange dogs. Dr. Hunrer, in the 
work before alluded to, has remarked, that almoft all the 
accidents related to the fociety arofe from taking notice of 
Strange dogs, ; 
