BRITISH DOMESTIC CATTLE. 191 



will attack the nearest to him ; and if he meet with much 

 resistance, he will set upon the whole herd, and bite as 



many as he can If the disease is to appear at 



all, it will be about the expiration of the fifth week, 

 although there will be no absolute security in less than 

 the double number of months." After making these re- 

 marks, our author reasons himself into the sapient con- 

 clusion, that the poison in all rabid animals resides in the 

 saliva, and does not affect any other secretion. " The 

 knowledge that the virus is confined to the saliva," he 

 opines, " will settle a matter that has been the cause of 

 considerable uneasiness. A cow has been observed to be 

 ailing for a day or two, but she has been milked as 

 usual ; her milk has been mingled with the rest, and has 

 been used for domestic purposes, as heretofore. She is 

 at length discovered to be rabid. Is the family safe ? 

 Can the milk of a rabid cow be drunk with impunity? 

 Yes, perfectly so, for the poison is confined to the saliva. 

 The livers of hundreds of rabid dogs have been eaten in 

 days of ignorance, dressed in all manners of ways, but 

 usually fried as nicely as possible, as a preventive against 

 madness. Some miscreants have sent the flesh of rabid 

 cattle to the market, and it has been eaten without harm ; 

 and so, although not very pleasant to think about, the 

 milk of the rabid cow may be drunk without the slightest 

 danger." 



Is it, indeed, possible for any of the secretions of an 

 animal to be in a healthy state, and fit for human food, 

 after it has had the virus of a rabid dog circulating 

 in its system for at least five weeks ? Furthermore, is it 

 consistent in Mr. Youatt to call those miscreants who 

 send the flesh of rabid cattle to market, when he acknow- 



