288 RABIES CANINA, 



removal of a much larger portion than is absolutely neces- 

 sary. With the caustic nothing- of this kind happens : pro- 

 ceeding- deliberately, every portion of wounded surface is 

 taken in succession, until the whole is passed over. 



Process of Operation for the Rahid Bite. — When a dog-, 

 or any other animal, has been attacked by one that is rabid, 

 it is evident that a difficulty presents itself which does not 

 exist in the human subject under similar circumstances. The 

 incapability of pointing out the wounds that may have been 

 received, and which the hair may prevent from being ob- 

 served, renders it necessary that a very minute examination 

 of every part of the body should take place, by turning the 

 whole hair deliberately back * ; after which, to remove any 

 rabid saliva that may adhere to the hair, the animal should 

 be washed all over, first with simple warm water, and, next, 

 with water in which a sulncient quantity of either potash or 

 soda is dissolved, to render it a moderate ley, in doing which 

 the eyes must be carefully guarded. During this latter 

 washing, the wounds should be pressed to excite a fresh 

 flow of blood. Having finished this operation, which will 

 render the dog, or other animal, secure from accidental virus 

 hanging about, it would increase the safety of the operation, 

 if the wounds were to be bathed with an arsenical solution 

 made by dissolving a dram of white arsenic in four ounces of 

 water. In many instances, this ablution of the wounds with 

 an arsenical solution of double or treble the strength here 

 noted, is trusted to solely as a preventive ; and apparently, 

 from the experiments that have been made, it has been attend- 

 ed with uniform success. After these precautions have been 

 attended to, proceed to the actual removal of the bitten part 

 by either of the modes already described. I have before 



* It is extremely difficult to detect all the minute bites dogs may 

 meet with, which renders the washing them all over with some active 

 wash indispensibly necessary: perhaps the very best that could be 

 used, would be an arsenical solution of moderate strength, as one drami 

 of arsenic to a quart of water. 



