213 

 tince. Solitary facts will occur as varieties, tint are 

 at variance with many or most of these appear- 

 ?mces ; but these will be found correct in the aggre- 

 gate. In kennek of hounds many of these remarks 

 may not immediately apply ; because the disease is 

 not observed in its very first commencement, and be- 

 cause if they escape they are immediately hunted into 

 fury and wiidness, but if left to themselves the disease 

 would put on very different appearances, and whoever 

 is at pains to study tl>e subject will find these obser- 

 vationsjust. The irritability that induces rabid dogs to 

 bite is very strong, but it is ahnost always devoid of 

 wildness and furv ; it is more like the irritability and 

 peevishness of a child ; at least tbis is the case in 

 the early stages of the disease : in the latter stages there 

 mav be in some few instances some alienation of the 

 mind, and a greater impatience. In tiie dogs that are 

 <.loniesticated and living always about th^ir owner, in 

 the greater number of cases, the same gentleness, at- 

 tachment, and obedience, are observed during tlie 

 first davs of the disease that is common to them at 

 other times : by degrees, however, they snap gently, or 

 run at a person's foot as though in play, and will not 

 at this time bite, but will take the foot or hand in the 

 mouth with a certain sort of playful quickness ; but it 

 is peculiar that a stick held to a dog even in this stage 

 is sure to excite his anger, even from those he is most 

 fond of, and he will seize and shake it with violence. 

 This is a verv common and almost invariable charac- 

 ter ill the complaint, and may almost be considered as 

 one of the few unerring criterions. But though there 

 is no violence, and though the usual attachment is 

 manifest, yet there is almost always a wonderful hu'- 



