OR CANINE MADNESS. 24-7 



tion attempted through the medium of the constitution, it ought 

 never to supersede the more certain means of the destruction of 

 the bitten part, yet I have witnessed so much of its powers as to 

 persuade me that it may with propriety be employed in addition to 

 other prophylatics. The importance of any preventive means which 

 could thus be gained through the medium of internal administra- 

 tion to the brute, would be very great ; for the difficulty of detecting 

 all the bitten parts in animals with a hairy covering is self-evident. 

 I have searched a dog known to be attacked (and by the future con- 

 sequences proved to have been bitten) over most carefully, for an 

 hour, without being able to find any puncture ; and even if one ot 

 two should in such a case be discovered, how many chances there 

 are that others may remain unobserved ! But inasmuch as human 

 safety is of infinitely greater consequence than that of the brute 

 creation, so a prophylactic which held out a reasonable ground for 

 dependance, although it did not amount to perfect security, would 

 be still of immense value in some cases in human practice, as I 

 have very often witnessed. Under this impression I have united 

 with my detail the preventive reputation it has, as regards the 

 human as well as the brute subject^o ; and with the same view, I 



danger. Some of the remainder, it may also be supposed, would have re- 

 mained safe, had nothing been done for them. In others, washings, cauteri- 

 zations, &c., had been added to the box remedy ; yet, after all these admis- 

 sions, some might have been indebted to the preventive power of this prepa- 

 ration for their safety. 



^ As justly observed by Mr. Youatt, the imputation of quackery is very 

 generally associated with the recommendation of these preventives. But is 

 there not some exclusiveness in this, not creditable to the medical character ? 

 are there really no antidotes? is a known introduction of the syphilitic poison 

 in no way prevented but by a destruction of the whole mucous surface exposed 

 to its contact ? on the contrary, is not an early administration of the mercu- 

 rial preventive in most instances a sufficient safeguard against even the ex- 

 ternal ulceration, and always against the constitutional ravages ? Are all the 

 accounts of immunity from the poison of serpents by internal means fabled ? 

 Let the chances be ever so small of a prophylactic property in any internal 

 remedy, they should be cherished and employed ; and foul befal him who, for 

 personal gain, would keep the knowledge of any such matter a secret. He, 



