OR CANINE MADNESS. 241 



of the cobra de capello, had raised hopes of its proving useful here 

 also^. Cauterizings, scarifyings, blisterings, &c., have been 

 applied to the bitten part in the human subject after the attack, 

 but without avail. From the known property of arsenic in lessen- 

 ing the spasm of epilepsy, something was hoped from it in the hy- 

 dropohic spasm in the human, but it has not answered the expecta- 

 tions formed. — See Med. Chirurg. Trans, p. 393 ; Lond. Med. 

 Rev. for March and April, 1793. On rabid dogs I have fre- 

 quently tried it, and from its decided capability, evinced on each 

 trial, of suspending the complaint, I was once also led to hope 

 much from it ; but repeated experience has proved that its benefits 

 are not permanent^, but act only like other violent means. 

 Chlorine has been said to remove the hydrophobic symptoms, but 

 late trials have shewn the fallacy of the assertion. The same has 

 happened to sulphuric acid, with which a Dr. Skuderi pretends to 

 have effected several cures of hydrophobia, by its internal and ex- 

 ternal administration. More recently also the guaco has been 

 tried on both the human and brute subjects ; but although it had 

 a temporary effect in mitigating the symptoms in both, yet the 

 fatal termination was the same. There is, therefore, reason to 

 believe that we have no authenticated case of the true rabid malady 

 having yielded to any treatment, either in man or beast, after it 

 had actually made its attack. 



The preventive treatment. — Here, fortunately for mankind, we 

 stand on 'vantage ground, as we are able, in most cases, by the 

 adoption of judicious means, to ensure the safety of the bitten, 

 when we can distinctly ascertain the wounded part; which, in 

 brute subjects, it is evident it is more difficult to do than in the 



* Tissot strongly recommends the eau de luce, and says, " II calma I'agita- 

 tion, occasion un seur abondant et fit disparoitre les symptoms." — Avis au 

 Peuple, tom. 1, p. 179, 8vo, Paris. 



^ I have given it, in these cases, in very large doses, as five, six, or even a 

 greater number of grains, and have been surprised how little disturbance it 

 seemed to produce ; probably from the stomach being already aflfected with a 

 specific inflammation, by which it was rendered less likely to be acted upon 

 by occasional causes. 



Q 



