DISEASES OE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 51/ 



summer, and they were all chained in the full blaze of the sun. To 

 one salted meat was given ; to the second, water only ; and to the 

 third neither food nor drink. They all died ; but none of them 

 became rabid. Nor does the supposidon that the disorder has 

 some connection with the period of sexual heat in these animals 

 appear to have any better foundation. For, the island of Sark in 

 the English Channel has never had a case of hydrophobia, although 

 it has a large canine population, which is entirely made up of the 

 masculine gender : the opposite sex are forbidden by law. 



My own opinion on this matter is, that Mr. Youatt's doctrine is 

 by far the most probable one ; that rabies never occurs except from 

 inoculation of the specific virus. It has never been proved, and 

 indeed it would scarcely be susceptible of proof, that the disease 

 ever breaks out spontaneously ; for in nineteen cases out of twenty, 

 perhaps, we trace the bite or the fray in which the inoculation has 

 been effected. 



With regard to the geographical distribution of the disease, no 

 land or climate is free from hydrophobia. The malady prevails 

 just the same in countries where dogs Hve in perfect freedom, for 

 instance in the East, in Algiers, Central Africa, China, Cochin 

 China, South America, and the Arctic Regions — as in every part 

 of Europe and America, where dogs, being domesticated, are de- 

 prived more or less of their freedom. In Europe hydrophobia is 

 said to prevail most extensively in Germany, France, Holland, the 

 north of Italy, and in England. 



On the other hand, as must appear evident, the greatest discre- 

 tion should be exercised in crediting any report of the occurrence 

 of hydrophobia in uncivilized and imperfectly known lands. 



Virchow has stated, with a certain degree of reserve, it is true, 

 that among the countries reported to be least frequently visited are 

 Kamtschatka, Greenland, portions of Sweden and Denmark, the 

 southern coast of the Mediterranean, the whole of Africa, and the 

 southern portions of Asia and America. Boudin appears to con- 

 firm the view that hydrophobia, although of such frequent occur- 

 rence in Europe, is much more rare in the tropics and the polar 

 regions. 



As opposed to these, may be given a few more recent observa- 

 tions. 



