206' 



nroTi, that an eminent physician now in very extensive 

 practice in London, wh© was consulted by a person 

 bitten, immediately enquired whether the dog could 

 drink ; when, on being informed he could, he peremp- 

 torily pronounced that there was no danger. 



The ignorance of pedantry is always the most to- 

 be dreaded ; and as much as a person wishes his opi- 

 nion to have weight, so much the more necessary is 

 it for him rightly to inform himself on all matter* 

 that are likely to come within his cognisance, the 

 omission of which reduces him to a mere empiric, 

 Tliis gentleman was guilty of apiece of presumption 

 unworthy his situation, for he gave a most fatal and 

 erroneous judgment, that, had it been followed, 

 might have caused the death of three persons ; for, 

 when told that I had pronounced the dog mad, he 

 made no hesitation in saying, that, let my opinion be 

 what it would, provided the dog drank he was not 

 mad. Fortunately his opinion was not attended to, 

 and I dissected the wounded parts out of three per- 

 sons bitten by this dog. In five weeks a dog bitten 

 bv this same animal became mad, and in six weeks a 

 horse bitten by him became mad also. So much for 

 popular prejudice, and s© nmch for pedantie and pro- 

 fessional ignorance. 



It cannot be too strongly inculcated, that dogs 

 labouring under the dreadful complaint of madness 

 never have the least distaste to water, or the slightest 

 dread of it ; on the contrary, in almost every instance 

 they seek it with avidity, and lap it incessantly. Now 

 and then there is some obstruction in the swallow, by 

 which the water taken returns as fast as it is lapped ; 

 but this can never lead into error;, because in all these ia- 



> 



