HYDROPHOBIA* 



The fit of hydrophobia [or Rabies Cani- 

 iia,] is easily and PARTICULARLY distin- 

 guished from every other fit, by VIOLENT 

 CONTRACTIONS of the DIAPHRAGM, 

 accompanied with a spasmodic affection 

 of the throat, glottis,, and epiglottis, render- 

 ing inspiration violent, and suspending for a 

 time expiration, which at last takes place, in 

 a spasmodic way, with a kind of stertor, 

 causing a noise which has often been com- 

 pared to the barking of a hoarse dog, but is 

 not much like it. This I conceive is owing 

 to the closing of the glottis, and the spasms 

 overpowering the action of the muscles of 

 the chest, which are unusually stretched by 

 violent inspiration, caused by the spasmodic 

 action of the diaphragm. 



These muscles I believe are considered 

 the natural counteractors to the diaphragm, 

 lungs, and external air. This spasmodic 

 action, and perhaps the inflamed state of 

 the glottis, epiglottis, and muscles of degluti- 

 tion, also accounts for the difficulty of swal- 

 Q<2 



