478 MODERN FARaiEU. 



every other branch of medical knowledge, is still 

 susceptible of much improvement. 



1. Hydrophobia. 



The first symptom of this dreadful malady ap- 

 pears to be a slight failure of appetite, and a dispo- 

 sition to quarrel with other dogs. A total loss of 

 appetite generally succeeds, though they sometimes 

 lap water the day before their death, which gene- 

 rally happens between seven and ten days after the 

 first symptoms have appeared. A mad dog will 

 not cry out on being struck, nor show any sign of 

 fear on being threatened. In the height of the dis- 

 order, he will bite all other dogs, animals, or men . 

 When not provoked, he usually attacks only such 

 as come in his way ; but, having no fear, it is very 

 dangerous to strike or provoke him. Mad dogs ap- 

 pear to be capable of communicating the infection 

 early in the disorder, and as soon as they begin to 

 quarrel with and bite other dogs. The eyes of mad 

 dogs do not look red or fierce, but dull ; and have a 

 peculiar appearance not easy to be described. Mad 

 dogs never bark, but occasionally utter a most dis- 

 mal and plaintive howl, expressive of extreme dis- 

 tress, and which they who have once heard, can 

 never forget. Mad dogs do not foam, or froth at 

 the mouth; but their lips and tongue appear dry 

 and foul, or slimy. Though mad dogs generally 

 refuse both food and water, in the latter stage of the 

 disorder ; yet they do not show any abhorrence of 

 water, will pass through it without difficulty, and 

 lap it eagerly to the last, without appearing to ex- 

 perience any uneasiness from it ; but they do not 

 swallow a drop. It is seldom in less than ten days, 

 that the symptoms appear after a dog has been bit- 

 ten ; in some instances it has been six or eight 

 months before the disorder has appeared. Mr. 

 MeyneU has given a very accurate description of 



