OR MADNESS. 257 



those he is most fond oi\ and he will sieze and shake it with 

 violence : the same will happen if the foot is held out. Be- 

 sides this resistance displayed, a peculiarly treacherous dispo- 

 sition, already hinted at, is a common feature of this vari- 

 ety of the complaint, and is often present in the other also. 

 Without any warning-, and often in the midst of caresses ap- 

 parently received with pleasure, he will at once turn and 

 snap at those noticing- him ; or he will readily come when he 

 is called, and with every mark of tractability will wag- his 

 tail and seem pleased, but, on a sudden, he will seem to re- 

 ceive a counter impression, and hastily bite the person who 

 called him. This stage is also marked, particularly in larger 

 do£-s, with an utter fearlessness of danger and contempt 

 of every menace. Every restraint is most unwillingly sub- 

 mitted to ; he shakes his chain with extreme violence, 

 and, when confined without one, he attempts to gnav^r his 

 way out. The vessels that are placed before him he over- 

 turns or breaks. 



Every variety of rabies begets a disposition to rove, but 

 as, in the dumb kinds, the paralysis, stupor, and prostration 

 of strength are hindrances to it, so it is more particularly ap- 

 parent in the raging variety. This disposition shews itself 

 by no attempt to escape altogether, neither does it appear a 

 delirious aifection •, on the contrary, much method is display- 

 ed in it, which makes it rather seem an instinctive disposition 

 common to all to propagate the disease. In its early stages, 

 before the strength is much impaired, dogs will travel im- 

 mense distances under this impulse. Such a dog trots along, 

 and industriously looks out for every other within his reach 

 or sight. Whenever he discovers one, little or large, he first 

 goes up and smells to him, in the usual way of dogs, 



ties, that even this shew of resistance is wanting : but these instances 

 are comparatively so rare to those wherein it is otherwise, that I cannot 

 impress it too strongly on the notice of those concerned, that, when a 

 dog, otherwise mild and inoffensive, immediately flies at a stick held 

 towards him, particularly by those he is acquainted with, such a dog 

 may, without hesitation, be pronounced rabid. 



