88 THE COMMON DOG. 



his home for several hours, spread his disorder by 

 biting men and animals, and again return. When 

 in the height of his disorder, it is peculiarly dan- 

 gerous to strike at, or provoke, a mad Dog ; for he 

 has then no fear of any thing, and will generally 

 return the attack. If a mad Dog escapes being 

 killed, he seldom runs more than two or three days, 

 when he dies, exhausted by heat, hunger, and dis- 

 ease. In confinement, he does not often survive 

 the fifth day, from the first exhibition of the symp- 

 toms. In the last stage of the disease, his ap- 

 pearance is altogether much altered. His eyes are 

 sunk. His tongue is black and dry. He makes 

 horrid howlings, and seems much disturbed. The 

 concluding scene, it is said, is dreadful to witness. 



The usual period for the symptoms to be remark- 

 ed, after a Dog has been bitten, is betwixt seven and 

 eight weeks ; but, in a few instances, these have 

 been known to appear in so short a time as ten* or 

 twelve days. 



It is a ! generally received opinion, that mad 

 Dogs, even in the earliest stages of their disease, 

 will not take the water. Two well-authenticated 

 instances of madness, however, occurred in the year 

 1791, in which the Dogs, on being closely pur- 

 sued, swam over a navigable river*. Although the 

 animals, at the height of their disorder, usually 



* These are mentioned by Mr. Daniel. 



refuse 



