192 RABIES CAN IN A, OR CANINE MADNESS. 



also, made from either of these articles, speedily kills in a small 

 dose. The effects produced by all these are nearly similar : taken 

 into the stomach, they destroy by at once paralyzing the senso- 

 rium : introduced immediately into the bloodvessels, most of them 

 exert a narcotic influence, but are no less certainly fatal. An 

 emetic immediately administered, and followed up by active spicy 

 stimulants, as mustard, pepper, &c., mixed with vinegar, afford 

 the best chances of arresting the baleful effects of these potent 

 articles. 



The Woorara, Lamas, Ticunas, Faha sancti ignatli, Upas 

 antiar, and Upas tiente, are vegetable poisons, indigenous to 

 southern and eastern climes, and by far more potent and deadly 

 than our most noxious articles. Prepared with much art and care, . 

 these extracts retain their poisonous qualities a great length of 

 time ; and the smallest puncture made with the finest instrument, 

 as a sharp dart or arrow, embued with a solution of either of these 

 extracts, proves fatal, in some instances, within a minute. Mr. 

 Brodie has detailed some experiments made by him with these 

 poisons on dogs, which shew their dreadful activity. Mons. de la 

 Condamine's experiments at Paris are still more frightful pictures 

 of their potency. 



RABIES CANINA, OR CANINE MADNESS. 



History of Rabies. 



The popular term of madness among dogs has, of late years, 

 given place to the more classical one of rabies; but a slight view 

 only of the subject is sufficient to shew, that this disease yet wants 

 a name more strictly descriptive of its nature and character^'* than 



'* The term rabies is, however, but a revival of its original name. Pliny 

 calls the disease rahidus canis, and canis rablosa is familiar in Horace, as well 

 as in other ancient authors: but we have weightier objections to such nomi- 

 nation ; for if madness be incorrect as depicting a state of wild delirium, un- 

 governable fury, and mental alienation, which never fully exist in the very 

 worst cases, and are present only in shadow in the majority of them ; then 



