THE HYDROPHOBIA. 99 



done is instantly to despatch him, however great a favourite he 

 may be. If at this period he should remain at liberty, he will 

 certainly leave his home : he goes as fast as he can ; and the 

 mischief that may happen, owing thus to a mad dog breaking 

 away, and running over an extent of country, is incalculable, as 

 he spares no living creature. 



There is another still very distinguishing feature by which this 

 disease may be known, which is the animal's aversion to water 

 and liquids in general. At the sight of water, not only a mad 

 dog, but a human being who has the hydrophobia, will shudder 

 and turn from it with abhorrence ; and this, undoubtedly, is the 

 most certain sign that a dog is mad. These animals are liable 

 to other diseases, the symptoms of which, in some degree, re- 

 semble those of madness, and are frequently mistaken for them ; 

 but in no other disorder will the dog manifest that utter aversion 

 to water ; as, in other cases, if he will not drink, he will in gene- 

 ral smell of it ; and uniformly appears no way alarmed ; on the 

 contrary, a mad dog seems agitated, and will be almost con- 

 vulsed, at the very sight. 



In the very last stage of the disorder, when the animal is 

 nearly exhausted, he has been known to fall into the water, or 

 even to cross a brook. 



When the human species become unhappily the subjects of 

 this calamity, though in particular instances some variation may 

 be observed, yet the first symptoms are generally the same ; 

 these are a torpid disquietude in the wound (or seat of injury), 

 attended with slight intervening itchings, ultimately amounting 

 to pain, and much resembling rheumatic affection. It con- 

 tinues to extend itself to the surrounding parts ; and, at length, 

 from the extremities it expands its poisonous power to the viscera ; 

 the cicatrice, if there has been a wound, begins to swell, inflam- 

 mation hourly increases, till, at length, a serous bloody ichor is 



discharged, and this alone may be considered the primary and 



12 



