348 APPENDIX. D. 



the virus, nnd keep it ready to be acted upon by a new absoro- 

 tion. That such a fear, liowever, is groundless, will appear, 

 when it is considered that the agent employed, be it what it 

 may, which is equal to the destruction of the animal solids, must 

 also of necessity be more than sufficient to decompose the ani- 

 mal _//<'/' /V/.s also, and totally deprive them of any morbid activity; 

 and this we find to be actually the case with rabid virus mixed 

 with even diluted caustic matter, as has been exemplified in the 

 experiments of Huzard, Dx". Zinke, and others, where such 

 matter entirely failed to excite rabies : it must, howevei-, be 

 acknowledged that all these experiments require repetiiion. 



"Excision of tlie part, after the rabid bite, is practised by most 

 of our eminent surgeons of the present day, in preference to 

 cautei'izalion. I have no doubt but that they do so on prin- 

 ciple ; but I have never yet seen occasion to alter my preierence 

 of the caustic : and Mr. Youatt, whose practice has been very 

 extensive in these cases, gives it his decided approbation also. 

 It must, however, at last rest in a conviction that each of these 

 modes may be supposed at some times the preferable one, and 

 that occasions will occur whi're they may be advantageously 

 united. As each claims some advantages over the other, so 

 each also owns some disadvantages. A skilful surgeon, there- 

 fore, will bind himself to neither, but will act according to cir- 

 cumstances. The parti zans for the use of the knife argue, that 

 the operation of excision is quicker, and can be apjilied more 

 extensively. It is certJiinly, where much is to be done, more 

 quickly performed ; but wlien it is so done, unless perfect ablu- 

 tion has removed all surrounding virus, may not the very instru- 

 ment which is to insure life be sowing the seeds of dearh, by 

 making a fresh morbid inoculation at every section ? To 

 prevent this, therefore, when excision is absolutely necessary 

 it is prudent, after every stroke of the knife, to wipe t'.e blade 

 carefully ; but it would still more certainly avoid danger were 

 the whole excised cavity well soaked with a caustic fluid, as a 

 dilution of nitric acid ; and, after all, it would make surety- 

 double, were the whole surface touched with the lunar caus- 



