MODERN FARRIER. 479 



this dreadful disorder, which appears to be the result 

 of much experience ; and he is fully persuaded, that 

 the disorder never originates from hot weather, pu- 

 trid provision, or from any other cause but the bite. 

 He thinks the most certain sign of beginning mad- 

 ness is an unusual disposition to quarrel with other 

 dogs, and that the disorder always comes on so gra- 

 dually, that mischief may be prevented by proper 

 care. 



INIany remedies have been proposed for canine 

 madness, but all of them appear to have failed after 

 a fair trial. Cold bathing seems to have held its 

 reputation longer than any other, both as a pre- 

 ventive and as a remedv. It was recommended 

 about two hundred years ago, by the Seigneur d'Es- 

 parron, in his ' Fauconneric,' who relates a wonder- 

 ful instance of a ' mad dog being thrown into a river 

 with a cord about his neck, which, being entangled 

 in the root of a tree, kept him under water, except 

 as much of his nose as enabled him to breathe. In 

 this situation he remained for three days, when he 

 got loose, and returned to his master's house as 

 cheerful and healthy as ever he was.' 



As we are not acquainteti- with any means of 

 curing this disorder, prevention is an object of great 

 importance ; and the only effectual mode of accom- 

 plishing this is to cut out the bitten parts completely, 

 and apply either the actual cautery (red hot iron), 

 or some powerful caustic to the wound. Nothing 

 short of this should ever be depended upon. And 

 as it is of consequence to know some criterion by 

 which the beginning of this disease may be distin- 

 guished, it may be proper to repeat, that the most 

 certain sign we are acquainted with is an unusual 

 disposition to quarrel with other dogs. 



The best preservatives from this baneful disorder 

 are plenty of water, whey, greens, physic, air, and 

 exercise. Let the hounds be well observed at the 

 ime when they feed, and there can be no danger 



