OR CANINE MADNESS. 243 



the lamentable experience of many who have trusted to its efficacy, 

 even when performed, as Van Swieten has it, ad sufficationem. 

 usque, but too well proves. Among the well-informed, therefore; 

 no reliance is now placed on it. 



Mercury has long been employed as a prophylactic. Sauvages 

 must have been greatly deceived by its ill-deserved reputation^o. 

 Sir G. Cobb's famous Tonquin remedy, so highly extolled by 

 Claude Duchoisee, in India^^, was prepared from the native and 

 factitious cinnabars, with musk. Turpith mineral, which is a sub- 

 sulphate of this metal, was highly extolled by Tissot^^, and has 

 been very generally used among the dogs of this country. Many 

 other authorities of note have extolled the preventive efficacy of 

 mercury, from its power in counteracting the effects of the syphilitic 

 poison^^; but as it has entirely failed in man and beast, under every 

 advantage of administration, so it has ceased to be relied on as 

 solely sufficient to guard the constitution.!"* Neither has arsenic any 

 more claim to the character of a preventive than it has as a curative. 



Dr Mead's pulvis antilyssus, composed of lichen cinereus and 

 black pepper, has wholly lost its reputation, although, during 



vidi hactenus q\iemquam (licet viderim plurimos) cui tempestive in mare pro- 

 jecto quidquam sinistre postmodum evenerit, sed salutari hoc remedio vel 

 flocci facto, vel tarde ac timide adhibito, dedere niulti irreparabiles supinse 

 suae incuriae poenas." — Ohs. Med. lib. vii, c. 20^ 



10 "J'ignore que ce remfede ait encore manqu6. — Ch, d'CEuv. p. l^^Noso- 

 logia, torn. ii. 



" " Hommes, femmes, enfans, Indiens, Portugais, Francois, &c. &c. plus 

 de trois cents personnes, sans qu'un seul, a ete afflige du plus petit symptom 

 de rage." — Nouv. Me th. pour le Trait, de Rage, 21. 



'^ Avis au Peuple, torn, i, p. 156. A celebrated sportsman says, "during 

 twenty-one years that I kept hounds, I never knew it fail." — Treatise on Grey- 

 hounds, 2d edit. p. 88.— It was also Mr. Beckford's favourite remedy. 



'^ Dr. Moseley appears to be one of the last advocates for the use of mercury 

 extended to a slight salivation ; but even he recommends the use of caustic to 

 the wounded part in conjunction with it. 



>^ Leroux/ Oudot, Raymond, Lafond, Majault, Enaux, Chaussier, and 

 Morveau, are neighbouring authors who have denied the efficacy of mercury in 

 this case; and among ourselves, I believe all our best authorities, almost 

 without exception, do the same. 



Q 2 



