TEEATMEXT. 229 



tion must be given to remove all influences likely to favour 

 putrefaction, disintegration, and change of blood-clots or tissue- 

 elements undergoing removal. This may be attained by 

 careful manipulatory dressing, and by the free use of anti- 

 septics. These latter may be applied directly to the wound, 

 also sprinkled over the stall or box. The injection into the 

 swollen lymphatic glands of dilute pure carbolic acid, from 

 trials which have been made, deserves a more extended em- 

 ployment, as likely to destroy the infective nature of materials 

 passed through these structures. In all cases it is worthy of 

 remembrance that a full and free supply of fresh air in cur- 

 rents seems to be beneficial to animals suffermg from these 

 conditions. 



CHAPTER X. 



KiVBIES — MADNESS. 



Definition. — An acute or subacute infective disease of a 

 febrile character occurring in the horse, as the result of inocu- 

 lation %uith the saliva, through a bite, of a rabid dog, or pos- 

 sibly also some other rabid animal. It is characterized by 

 distinct disturbance of several functions connected with inner- 

 vation, notably by much excitement and irritability, a dispo- 

 sition to bite, and with clonic contraction or convulsive move- 

 ments of certain muscles. 



Pathology, a. Nature and Causation. — Although it has 

 been stated that in certain animals of the canine or feline 

 species rabies may arise spontaneously — a condition we much 

 doubt — it has not, that I am aware of, been regarded as 

 appearing in our larger mammals save as the result of direct 

 inoculation. 



It is possible to conceive of the occurrence of a collection 

 of symptoms analogous or similar to those we speak of under 

 the term ' rabies,' providing certain conditions are fulfilled 

 with respect to particular parts of the nerve-centres. Pro- 

 bably, however, this condition is only known to us in our 

 patients as the direct result of inoculation. Usually the virus 

 is conveyed into the system by the dog at the moment of the 



