HYDROPHOBIA. 159 



until the 10th of April, when another purge was administered. On the 12th, 

 the purging subsided ; the anti-spasmodic medicine was again used a few days 

 longer, when she was completely cured of the complaint. After this, tonics 

 were given, which, with a nourishing diet and suitable exercise, soon restor- 

 ed the tone of the muscles, and the animal became as useful as ever." 



Of the twenty -four cases described, nine came on after docking or cutting 

 off the tail, from ten days to a month after the operation. In such cases, the 

 tail was fomented with warm water, and the sore dressed with detersive oint- 

 ment. It should be remarked, that in all the successful cases the jaws were 

 not so completely closed but medicine could be given with a small horn, or in- 

 troduced as a bolus by means of the cane. In some instances, there appears to 

 have been considerable difficulty in giving medicine at first, but by persevering 

 carefully, both medicine and food were introduced in sufficient quantity. With 

 respect to cold application, Mr, Wilkinson says, he has only tried it once, when 

 the whole of a mare's body affected with locked jaw, except the nostrils, was im- 

 mersed in snow for some time, without producing any relaxation of the muscles: 

 on the contrary, the symptoms afterwards graduallj' increased, and she died on 

 the third day. In four cases that terminated fatally, the jaws were so completely 

 closed, that neither food nor medicine could be given by the mouth. On ex- 

 amining these horses after death, there was some degree of inflammation in the 

 lungs, stomach, and bowels. It was generally found on opening the spinal 

 canal, that the membrane covering the marrow exhibited a very inflamed ap- 

 pearance, and the marrow itself was tinged of a still deeper colour, whilst the 

 membranes of the brain exhibited some marks of inflammation. 



HYDROPHOBIA. 



No notice whatever would have been taken of this dreadful malady, but foT 

 ionic additions to the stock of information already before the public as to the 

 means of discriminating the true from the false rabies ; which 1 am enabled to 

 furnish from authentic sources. A disease confessedly incurable requires no 

 more to be said of it ; but this having been at one time or other, the case with 

 several other subjects treated of in this volume, I must not, consistently with 

 the duty I have imposed upon myself, pass it by in silence. Even the names 

 of authors who have written on canine madness would be serviceable to such 

 of my readers as may be desirous of extending farther their inquiries concern- 

 ing this melancholy and appalling disease. Preceding authors have all confined 

 their information to the dog itself, with mere casual notices of his attacks upon 

 other animals, and on man. Their researches extended not to the horse, or 

 but trivially so. But, inasmuch as the symptoms of madness discoverable in 

 dogs so affected are good to be known to those who would keep their horses 

 out of danger, 1 am thus further induced to bestow a page or two on the dis- 

 tinguishing character of the true symptoms, and add a hint or two as to pre- 

 vention, since cure is nearly hopeless at present. 



Causes. — The bite of a rabid animal, universally of the dog, and in every 

 case that I hear of, on the lip. The bull-dog, the hircher, the mongrel, the 

 Danish dog, and the shepherd dog, are the kinds most disposed to run at 

 horses, especially when so affected (the first-mentioned, on other occasions, 

 usually fighting at the throat), jumping repeatedly at the horse until they get 

 hold, and the two first pertinaciously holding fast a long time, even until kill- 

 ed off, as we hear and believe.* This will happen mostly with horses tight 



* On the momiag of September 9, 1826, as Mr. Hawkerford, of Bilston, Staffordahiie, ma 

 d. » -ng 'WO tadics &otn >V iUow-ball, a bull-dog, which was with hs maiter m the road wAwtm 



