APPENDIX. D. 319 



ble to the human race, although instances of this are extremely 

 rare, and although the disease, even in the dog, is unusual. 



The ignorance concerning this malady, the superstitious awe 

 in which it is held, the absurdly sanguinary laws, and the popu- 

 lar mania — for I can call it nothing else — existing in this coun- 

 try with regard to that highly useful and excellent animal the 

 dog, which has been properly styled the natural friend of man, 

 have induced me to devote a considerable space to the symp- 

 toms, treatment, and diagnosis of canine madness, both in the 

 animal and in the human being. 



My object being to show what are the real symptoms in the 

 dog, which have been thus far generally misunderstood — what 

 are the symptoms and diseases on which false opinions of mad- 

 ness have been found ; and, lastly, how rare the malady is in 

 itself, and how perfectly easy and certain is its cure, if the pro- 

 per sanative course is adopted in time. And, above all things, 

 here, and once for all, I would impress on every one the convic- 

 tion, that there are no prophylactics, no antidotes, no cure except 

 the knife and fire ; and especially I would caution them against 

 the use of quack medicines, now widely advertised as of certain 

 effectiveness in this, when it occurs, fearful malady. 



Before proceeding to quote and abridge from Mr. Blaine, I 

 will observe, for the last time, that — although if we credit news- 

 paper reports, never a week passes without, at least, a dozen 

 rabid dogs being killed, after biting a dozen people in every 

 large city in the United States — I am convinced not a dozen 

 rabid dogs are to he found annually in any town on the whole 

 continent of America ; and farther, that of a dozen persons 

 bitten by really r,abid dogs, not above one in four contracts the 

 disease ; and that he is in no danger, if he goes to work rightly. 

 Canine madness, if taken in hand instantly, is a disease infi- 

 nitely more under the control of the mediciner, than half the 

 maladies -to which we are liable, — more so than any malignant 

 fever, for instance, and more so than any serious inflammation ; 

 if neglected until too late, it is fatal ! — so are they. But had I 

 my choice to-morrow, of being bitten by a certainly rabid dog. 



