284 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND . 



biped or quadruped, with which they unfortunately 

 came in contact. Worming, of course, failed, which 

 any man of common acquaintance with canine 

 nature might have anticipated. To Pliny has been 

 attributed this fanciful crotchet, and upon his 

 authority it has been handed down as an infallible 

 remedy in the prevention, if not cure, of hydro- 

 phobia. Blane says : " In the operation of worming, 

 it is common to strip off this frcenum or bridle from 

 the tongue, the violence made use of in doing which, 

 puts it on the stretch, so that when removed from 

 the mouth, its recoil is adduced as a proof that it 

 is alive, and proves it a worm in the opinion of 

 credulity." 



That queer old writer, Markham, seems to have 

 fallen into the same error, and, in treating of this 

 worming system, observes: "When young, a little 

 worm is subject to breed under their tongues, that 

 makes them bark much ; take it out with an awl, 

 and it prevents their growing mad." He then 

 continues, " It is said there are seven sorts of 

 madness in dogs " (why not seventeen, or seventy?) : 

 "the dumb madness, the running, the falling, the 

 lank, the lean madness, the sleeping, the shivering, 

 and the hot burning madness; and in my opinion 

 the best and only cure is to knock them on the head 

 for it." 



Notwithstanding his rational opinion, so far as 

 the last sentence, our old sporting friend, Gervase 

 Markham, prescribes various remedies for the cure 

 of hydrophobia, such as " sow-thistle, fat meat, 

 filberts, dry figs, woman's milk, calomel, wild tare 



