374 DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 



up to the eyes into the vessel containing the liquid, and drink 

 eagerly, unless prevented by a spasm of the larynx, when he be- 

 comes enraged and furious at the sight of drinking liquids. 



The animal now becomes very restless and irritable, and if 

 allowed his liberty will seek seclusion as the disease advances. 

 He will leave his home and a kind master and go off in nearly a 

 straight line along the street. He travels in a peculiar, long, 

 swinging trot, the tail hanging down and often with the tongue 

 hanging out of his mouth. He looks neither to the right nor to 

 the left, and keeping his head in a straight line with his body 

 hastens on as if in search of something he doesn't seem to find. 

 Thir is characteristic of the rabid animal, and nothing else. An 

 excessive secretion of saliva, called frothing at the mouth, usual- 

 ly takes place, and flows from the mouth. He seems to take no 

 notice of any one or anything until pursued and bodily hurt, 

 when he will wreak his vengeance on the offender, or anything, 

 else that comes in his way. Still, he will not go out of his way 

 to do any mischief, and will even pass through crowds of people 

 without attempting to bite them, but, instead, he tries to escape 

 his pursuers and hide. When by himself, he will bite at imagin- 

 ary objects, and will attack only real ones when placed in his way. 

 His snapping at the open air is a very characteristic sign. 



The inclination on the part of the mad dog to wander about 

 seems .to be an instinctive attempt to get rid of the disease by 

 muscular activity, as rabies, if spontaneous, is only so in non- 

 perspiring animals. A rabid dog when at large always alters his 

 course, when compelled, by turning at right angles, and never 

 breaks this rule unless compelled to by a furious mob. It is 

 nothing unusual to see a dog hounded about the streets, and said 

 io be mad, when he is not, but is only excited or frightened. He 

 never thinks of going out of his way to clear any object, attempt- 

 ing to go over, under or through it, and never giving up until 

 he is completely exhausted. The wound from the bite of a rabid 

 animal heals very rapidly, and is rarely accompanied by infljun- 



