146 RABIES, OR MADNESS. 



bite with fuvy at everything within his reach, his whole frame being dreadfully 



convulsed." 



As the disease progresses, not only is the animal rapidly debilitated, but there 

 is the peculiar staggering gait which is observable in the dog— referable to 

 evident loss of power in the muscles of the lumbar region. 1 once saw a mare 

 sitting on her haunches, and unable to rise ; yet using her fore feet with the 

 utmost Jury, and suffering no one to come within her reach. She, too, would 

 sometimes plunge her muzzle into the offered pail ; and immediately withdraw 

 it in evident terror, while every limb trembled. At other times the lowering 

 of the pail would affright her, and she would fall on her side and struggle 

 furiously. Although this symptom is not often observed in the dog, it is a 

 satisfactory identification of the disease, when it is so frequently seen in the 

 horse, and so invariably in the human being. 



The earliest and perhaps the most decisive symptom of the near approach 

 of rabies in the horse, is a spasmodic movement of the upper lip, particularly 

 of the angles of the lip. Close following on this, or contemporaneous with it, 

 is the depressed and anxious countenance, and inquiring gaze, suddenly how- 

 ever lighted up and becoming fierce and menacing, from some unknown cause, 

 or at the approach of a stranger. From time to time different parts of the 

 frame — the eyes — the jaws — particular limbs — will be convulsed. The eye will 

 occasionally wander after some imaginary object, and the horse will snap again 

 and again at that which has no real existence. Then will come the irrepressible 

 desire to bite the attendants or the animals within its reach. To this will succeed 

 the demolition of the rack, the manger, and the whole furniture of the stable, 

 accompanied by the peculiar dread of water which has been already described. 



Towards the close of the disease there is generally paralysis, usually con- 

 fined to the loins and the hinder extremities, or involving those organs which 

 derive their nervous influence from this portion of the spinal cord ; — hence the 

 distressing tenesmus which is occasionally seen. 



The disease rarely extends beyond the third day. 



After death, there is uniformly found inflammation at the back part of the 

 mouth, and at the top of the windpipe, and likewise in the stomach, and on the 

 membrane covering the lungs, and where the spinal marrow first issues from 

 the brain." 



When the disease can be clearly connected with a previous bite, the sooner 

 the animal is destroyed the better, for there is no cure. If the symptoms bear 

 considerable resemblance to rabies, although no bite is suspected, the horse 

 should at least be slung, and the medicine, if any is administered, given in the 

 form of a drink, and with the hand well protected ; for if it should be scratched 

 in balling the horse, or the skin should have been previously broken, the saliva 

 of the animal is capable of communicating the disease. Several farriers have 

 lost their lives from being bitten or scratched in the act of administering medi- 

 cine to a rabid horse. 



It is always dangerous to encourage any dogs about the stable, and especially 

 if they become fond of the horses, and are in the habit of jumping up and 

 licking them. The coiners of the mouth of the horse are often sore from the 

 pressure of the bit ; and when a coach-dog in a gentleman's stable — and it is 

 likely to happen in every stable, and with every dog — becomes rabid and dies, 

 the horse too frequently follows him at no great distance of time. 



If a horse is bitten by a dog under suspicious circumstances, he should be 

 carefully examined, and every wound, and even the slightest scratch, well 

 burned with the lunar caustic (nitrate of silver). The scab should be removed 

 and the operation repeated on the third day. The hot iron does not answer so 

 well, and other caustics are not so manageable. In the spring of 1827, four 



