478 WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE 



by the mouth, causing a strona; jot of water to play upon them, 

 and squeezing them -well, should at ones be resorted to. The cir- 

 culation in the part should be retarded wherever possible, by 

 making pressure on the larger ve-sels passing from it by means of 

 the fingers or a handkerchief and pad, as recommended for stop- 

 ping bleeding. It may be absolutely necessary to cauterize the 

 wounds, and to effect this there is seldom anything more convenient 

 than a red-hot iron, in the form of a skewer, nail, or any other iron 

 object in shape like the auinial's teeth or flings. If any caustic — 

 as nitrate of silver, sulphate of copper, nitric acid — is at hand, 

 then it may be eniployed instead ; but the destruction of the poison 

 must be thorough. Snake-bite should be treated in a similar way, 

 but if symptoms of depression or collapse appear, then stimulants 

 must be quickly administered. Brandy will do; but spirits of 

 ammonia (liquor ammonia) is best. The doses may be small, but 

 given frequently. The injection of the liquor ammonia into the 

 veins often affords the only chance of saving life. 



Animals are sometimes most seriously stung by wasps, bees, or 

 hornets, and death not infrequently ensues. Lime-water sponged 

 over the surface, a strong lather of carbolic acid soap in which a 

 little additional carbolic acid has been dissolved, a solution of car- 

 bolic acid (one ounce to the quart of water), or a solution of liquor 

 ammonia (two ounces to the quart of water), are good applications. 

 To dimini.sh the general irritation give laudanum (tincture of 

 opium), half a teaspoonful to a dog. a tablespoonful to a calf, and 

 one or two ounces to a horse or cow. 



Rabid Dogs. — A few words as to rabid or mad dogs, and the 

 measures to be adopted with regard to them. Every person who 

 keeps a dog, and even those who do not, should know something 

 of rabies, and how its evil consequences may be averted. In the 

 first place, a mad dog is not afraid of water, but will drink it and 

 swim in it, and even lap its own urine. Therefore the water test 

 is a fallacious one. Secondly, a mad dog docs not always froth at 

 the mouth, though sometimes saliva hangs from it. Thirdly, a 

 dog in this condition is not always furious. Fourthly, the appetite 

 is not always lost, but it is generally so depraved that the creature 

 swallows all kinds of substances. The earliest symptoms are — 

 changed manner ; moroseuess; desire to retire into out-of-the-way 

 places ; restlessness ; tendency to lick cold substances — as iron or 

 stone — and to gnaw and swallow wood, carpets, rugs, &c. ; desire 

 to bite and fight with other dogs; seeking to escape from home, 

 and returning after a time dirty, fatigued, and strange in manner; 

 altered bark and howl; squinting of the eyes; readiness to snap, 

 even at those to whom it was most attached ; insensibility to pain, 

 as while being beaten ; worrying other creatures. In some cases 



