50-i 



stances conspired to make the author particuUirly at- 

 tentive to this subject: a primary one was, the total 

 ignorance that has hitherto prevailed on it. Except 

 some remarks by Mr. Meynell, of sporting celebrity, 

 ^vhich were given some years ago in the 19th vol. of 

 the Medical Commentaries, nothing has appeared in 

 print in any language worthy of the smallest notice ; 

 and it is evident that, however attentive Mr. Meynell 

 might be, he must yet have had his scope of observation 

 iimch confined ; most likely to his own kennel, and 

 to one kind of dog only: nevertheless, at the time 

 these remarks appeared they were valuable, as being 

 the only account of the disease tliat at all approached 

 to truth. This gentleman considers a loss of appe- 

 tite as the first symptom of the complaint, which is 

 materially erroneous, and which arose from the kind 

 of dog he saw, and from his not being immediately 

 domesticated with the animals attacked, so as to see 

 the immediate commencement of it. The first ap- 

 pearance of the disease is to be dated not from a loss 

 of appetite, but from a certain peculiarity in the dog's 

 manner, some departure frojn his usual habits, and 

 his doing something, however trifling, that is un- 

 common. 



This complete ignorance of the nature and appear- 

 ance of the complaint, and the many erroneous and 

 most dangerous ideas that prevailed relative to it, 

 gave the author a particular wish to become conver- 

 sant with it. Tliis desire was also greatly heightened 

 by a sympathy he felt for those fellow^ creatures who 

 were rendered unhappy from apprehension and danger, 

 he having, in 1 807, been himself very severely bitten 

 by a dog unquestionably mad ; and to this accident 



