100 THE HYDROPHOBIA. 



invariable prognostic of certain hydrophobia. These leading 

 symptoms soon become progressively general, bearing with 

 them every appearance of confirmed rheumatism ; they are 

 fluctuating, quick, acute, and of the spasmodic, convulsive kind; 

 they suddenly attack the patient, severely affecting the head, 

 neck, and principal joints ; a dull, drowsy pain often seizes the 

 head, neck, breast, abdomen, and even vibrates along the back 

 bone. The patient is gloomy and inclined to solitude, murmurs 

 much, seems lost in reflection, is forgetful, inattentive, and 

 prone to sleep ; at times agitating starts denote the mind to be 

 disordered ; by turns he is attentively watchful ; his slumbers 

 become disturbed, and suddenly awaking from those, convulsive 

 appearances soon follow. 



A deafness is sometimes complained of, the eyes are watery ; 

 the aspect sorrowful ; the countenance pale, and the face con- 

 tracted ; sweat breaks out about the temples ; an unusual flow 

 of saliva, slimy and viscid, at length comes on with a dryness 

 of the fauces, a foulness of the tongue, and a disagreeable smell 

 (or rather fetid effluvia) from the breath. As the symptoms 

 already recited increase, the second stage advances : a fever com- 

 mences, which, at first is mild, but makes with gigantic strides 

 the most rapid advances to extremity ; it is accompanied with 

 hourly increasing horrors, and all the alarming concomitants of 

 mental derangement. Wakefulness becomes perpetual ; violent 

 periodical agitations ensue ; the mind is evidently more and 

 more disturbed ; a delirium follows, at which critical moment an 

 invincible aversion to jftuid, glass, or any polished or shining 

 body is plainly perceived. A constriction of the gullet takes 

 place, and an incredible difficulty of shallowing ensues ; liquids 

 are offered, and are attempted to be taken, but the disgust and 

 loathing become so predominant, they are most violently de- 

 clined : and this symptomatic dread and aversion so wonderfully 

 increases, that, upon the very appearance of any watery fluid, 



