OR MADNESS. 289 



stated, that, in my own practice, I have principally made 

 use of caustic applications for such removal, occasionally 

 using- the knife to enlarge an opening, to remove rago-ed 

 edges, or entirely to excise protruded parts ; but, under 

 either process, particularly that of the caustic, when a lace- 

 rated wound has been made, or one of considerable depth, 

 it is prudent, on the removal of the slough, again to touch 

 the surfaces. The keeping a discharge from the sores, for 

 some time, by means of stimulating applications, is, in the 

 animal at least, unnecessary ; neither does it appear at all to 

 insure the success of the operation, when properly performed 

 in the human. 



Although as regularly educated to the practice of human 

 medicine as any of the eminent characters around me, yet 

 it is probable I shall be considered as travelling out of the 

 record, by introducing in this work any matter directly 

 treating on that variety of the rabid disease which belongs 

 immediately to mankind, characteristically called hydropho- 

 bia; and were I not impelled by strong motives, I would, 

 for the sake of consistency, altogether avoid it ; but the sup- 

 position that I may, by this irregularity, be enabled at all to 

 lighten any of the terrors, real or imaginary, with which I 

 know many persons suffer themselves to be overwhelmed, 

 outweighs every other consideration. During the years of 

 the extreme prevalence of the rabid malady, it is natural 

 to suppose that some notoriety must have attached itself to 

 the extent of my opportunities of observing it, and the 

 known attention 1 had paid to it. The confidence begot by 

 this, occasioned it frequently to happen, that, from being 

 first consulted on the rabid dog, I was next consulted, also, 

 on the person wounded by it, which connection of circum- 

 stances drew under my immediate observations a greater 

 number of bitten persons than has fallen to the lot of almost 

 any individual. It has so happened, that particular circum- 

 stances have occasioned a considerable number of the cases 

 in the practice of other surgeons to be also submitted to my 

 consideration. Of those persons who, at their own desire. 



