DISEASES OF DOGS. 283 



among dogs. It is sometimes epidemic, carrying off great numbers. 

 Its attack is rapid and it generally terminates in death on the third 

 day, by a great effusion of water in the chest. It is seldom that 

 it is taken in time, when it is, bleeding is useful, and blisters may 

 be applied to the chest. 



257. Madness. The symptoms of madness are concisely summed 

 up by Daniel, in the following words : "at first the dog looks dull, 

 shows an aversion to his food and company, does not bark as usual, 

 but seems to murmur ; is peevish and apt to bite strangers ; his 

 ears and tail drop more than usual, and he appears drowsy ; after- 

 wards he begins to loll out his tongue and froth at the mouth, his 

 eyes seeming heavy and watery ; if not confined he soon goes off, 

 runs panting along with a dejected air, and endeavours to bite any 

 one he meets." As persons are continually alarmed at the approach 

 of every strange dog, the following observations founded on expo- 

 rience may be of service in knowing what dogs to avoid : I have 

 seen many mad dogs but never knew one in that state to curl its 

 tail. This is a certain indication of not being mad : If you see a 

 dog dirty at the mouth, coming at a trot with his head high, and a 

 drooping tail avoid him as a viper. Or if you see one sitting sickly 

 and dirty at the mouth, avoid him, though it is not likely that he 

 will snap at you in that period of the disease. I never met a mad 

 dog, on being pursued, (if his pursuers were not in actual reach to 

 stone him, &/c.) to exhibit any signs of fear, he generally goes if 

 not impeded, in a straight line against the wind at a brisk trot, 

 wholly unconcerned at the shouts of the multitude pursuing him, 

 and never squats his tail. I never knew a dog that was not mad, on 

 being pursued and shouted after by a number of people, not to exhibit 

 every symptom of terror squatting his tail, turning his head and 

 scampering in every direction. If a mad dog escapes being killed, 

 he seldom runs above two or three days, when he dies, exhausted 

 with heat, hunger, and disease. As this is a subject of no slight 

 importance, we shall stand excused for introducing the criteria as 

 described by Elaine, whose account of the disease founded on long 

 experience and attentive observation, is calculated to remove many 

 unfounded and dangerous prejudices relative to it. He describes it 

 as commencing sometimes by dullness, stupidity and retreat from 

 observation ; but more frequently, particularly in these dogs that 

 are immediately domesticated around us, by some alteration in their 

 natural habits ; as a disposition to pick up and swallow every minute 

 object on the ground; or to lick the parts of another dog incessantly, 

 or to lap his own urine, &c. About the second or third day, the 

 disease usually resolves itself into one of two types. The one is cai- 

 led raging and the other dumb madness. These distinctions are not 



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