276 RABIES CANINA^ 



Cold-bathing, but particularly sea-bathing, as a preven- 

 tive, is a practice also of great antiquity, and, even yet, the 

 uninformed classes place implicit reliance on it. Its incapa- 

 bility of insuring- safety was, however, early noted, and Pal- 

 MERius, Ambrose Parey, Desault, and others, were at 

 much pains to discredit the practice. Both hot and cold 

 bathing-, however, long retained some powerful advocates. 

 Celsus informs us, that it was the practice of his day to im- 

 merse those who had been wounded by a rabid animal in a 

 hot bath *, to promote perspiration, and, on their leaving it, 

 to give them large quantities of wine to drink. Hoffman 

 preferred tepid to hot bathing, and Boerhaave and Mead 

 appear to have done the same ; but it seemed indifferent, in 

 Boerhaave's opinion, whether the water was fresh or salt. 

 However respectable the authorities in its favour, the la- 

 mentable experience of many who have trusted to its effi- 

 cacy, even when performed, as Van Swieten has it, ad 

 sufficationem usque, but too well i;4roves. Among the well- 

 informed, therefore, no rehance is now placed on it. 



Mercu7'y has, for a very long period, been employed as a 

 prophylactick. In 1732, we find Dessault urging the use 

 of mercurial frictions f. Sauvages was very favourable to 



of the lips not offering a sufficient resistance to the person, or what may 

 be really necessary to guard against any small vessels being ruptured 

 in the act of sucking, a piece of thin bladder might be interposed, or 

 the suction might be still more safely made with the bowl of a tobacco 

 pipe. When it can be procured, a cupping glass can be substituted for 

 the mouth with the utmost propriety. 



* " Protinus in balneum amittunt, cumque ibi desudare, dum vires 

 " corporis sinant, vulnere aperto quo magis ex es quoque virus distil- 

 " let."— De Medicina, lib. v, c. 47. 



TuLPius is also no less warm in his commendation of sea bathing : 

 " Neque vidi hactenus quemquam (licet viderim plurimos) cui tempestiv^ 

 " in mare projecto quidquam sinistre postmodum evenerit, sed salutari 

 " hoc remedio vel fiocci facto, veltarde actimide adhibito, dedere multi 

 " irreparabiles supinae suae incuriae pcenas." — Obs. Med. lib. vii, c. 20. 



f " Tous ceux en qui je I'ai employe, dit cet auteur, ont ete preserves 

 " de la rage." — {Journal de Med. ) 



