HUNTING DIRECTORY. 109 



Dumb Madness. 



State of nature, there is little doubt, but he is altogether 

 exempt. In fact, living under the same roof, and in the 

 same manner, as his master, he seems to be afflicted 

 something in the same way ; and, upon close examina- 

 tion, it will be found, that many of his disorders bear a 

 strong resemblance to those in man, and would, I have 

 little doubt, give way to a somewhat similar treatment. 

 Thus circumstanced, it seems unaccountable that the 

 medical treatment of this faithful creature should have 

 been so neglected. Generally speaking, whenever a dog 

 is attacked with any disease, little trouble is taken in his 

 recovery ; food is offered him, and if he is able to eat it 

 and recovers, it is all right ; but it very frequently 

 happens, tliat the moment he exhibits symptoms of uidis- 

 position, he is suspected of hydrophobia, and, without 

 any attempts to alleviate his pains, he is placed in a situa- 

 tion of security, and either suffered to pine away, or is 

 prematurely despatched. This may not apply altogether 

 to sportsmen, perhaps ; though many of these, I have 

 not the least doubt, pay but httle attention to the matter. 

 In kennels of hounds, and other large dog establish- 

 ments, there is a certain method followed ; or, in other 

 words, there is a list of disorders which is supposed to be 

 understood by the huntsman, or the game-keeper, and, 

 in like manner, a regular list of antiquated applications 

 or medicines is placed, as it were, opposite the disorders : 

 now, if the medicines were positively applicable to the 

 diseases, is it likely that the latter are so understood, that 

 one is not frecjuently mistaken for another? Or, can it 

 be supposed, that the persons in question are sufficiently 

 skilled in the science of healing, so as to discern those 



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