260 OBSERVATIONS ON MAD DOGS. 



OBSERVATIONS ON MAD DOGS. 



With regard to mad dogs in the metropolis, it is the 

 general opinion, and particularly of foreigners, who 

 visit our country, that this evil chiefly arises from a 

 want of the dogs being properly supplied with water. 

 For instance in Paris, what with the fountains, and 

 the dirty water forming kennels in the middle of the 

 streets, there is always a plentiful supply for dogs. In 

 many parts of Italy, where there is not that advantage, 

 the inhabitants make a point of having little holes to 

 receive water for the dogs, as a preventive of hydro- 

 phobia. Again, in Lisbon, where there are droves of 

 large dogs, without owners, that literally run wild about 

 the streets, and are tolerated, because they act as 

 scavengers, to rid them of the filth, there is always a 

 plentiful supply of water; and, if I remember and 

 understood the language right, some of the inhabitants 

 told me that they were obliged, under penalty, to put 

 out a supply of water for the dogs. Now in all these 

 hot countries hydrophobia is very rare ; arid yet in 

 London, no sooner does even the warm weather com- 

 mence, than we are in alarm with mad dogs. It could 

 therefore, at all events, do no harm to try the experi- 

 ment, now that we have a regular police, who could 

 attend to it. But if this should prove ineffectual, and 

 our climate be still destined to this annoyance, we 

 should have recourse to more severe measures; and 

 declare war against all the useless mongrels that infest 



therefore I dare not presume to recommend any substitute; though 

 I have thought it right to give publicity to the foregoing letter, from 

 the reported excellence of the prescription. 



