EXPERIMENT OF M. BOUISSON. 1031 



a woman who died of hydrophobia, he was 

 attacked with a stiffness about the throat, a diffi- 

 culty of swallowing fluids, and other symptoms 

 of that frightful malady, which he supposed was 

 brought on by wiping his hand (one finger of 

 which had on it a slight sore,) with a towel that 

 had been employed in removing saliva from 

 the patient's mouth. Believing himself to be 

 attacked with a mortal disease, he resolved on 

 stifling himself in a vapour bath, which he had 

 raised to 107. But, to his great surprise and 

 delight, he soon found himself relieved from all 

 the previous symptoms, when he left the bathing 

 room, dined heartily, and drank more wine than 

 usual, without any return of the complaint. 



Since that time, he says that he has treated 

 above eighty individuals who had been bitten by 

 dogs supposed to be rabid ; in four of whom the 

 symptoms of hydrophobia had clearly declared 

 themselves : and that in no case had he failed, ex- 

 cept in that of one child, which died in the bath. In 

 addition to the repeated employment of the vapour 

 bath, he recommends the practice of inducing 

 free perspiration, by wrapping the patient in 

 warm flannels, covering him well with blankets, 

 or even a feather bed, and giving hot drinks; 

 because he says, that hydrophobia is confined 

 chiefly to animals which do not sweat, such as 

 the dog, wolf, and fox. He further declares him- 

 self so confident in regard to the success of this 



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