ON DISTEMPKlv AND MADNESS AMONG HOUNDS. 13o 



certain death. If the clog dies, tlioso Avho arc 

 bitten are no worse than they were before, because 

 dogs often die ^iiiad from mere distemper ; and 

 while suffering from a painful insanity, thougli 

 madj tliey are not hydrophobic dogs, and their 

 bite, as I haye often seen, bears no infection in it 

 whatever. I do not hesitate to assure those two 

 police constables who captured a mad dog alive, 

 that even if they had not their gloves on, they 

 need be under no apprehension, for if tlie dog they 

 caught was only suffering from what is called 

 ''rabies," a bite from him would be as innocent as 

 the bite of any sane creature that exists. It is a 

 sad pity that ignorant people should deem every 

 mad dog a hydrophobic dog. The canine race are 

 subject to as many delusions of the brain almost, 

 not quite^ as men and women are; and if the 

 ruling powers should order all mad persons insane 

 from Communism to be destroyed from fear of 

 infection, we, the Conservatives, would very soon 

 be in a still more powerful majority. 



Note, — At the conclusion of this chapter, for 

 the use of the Profession, I append a very clear 

 definition of the two insanities, compiled, with 



