246 The Management and Diseases of the Dog. 



Were it not so, what a fearful result must follow ! When 

 we have one case of the disease, we should have hundreds 

 Indeed, they would be da^ly occurring, and no individua 

 who possessed a dog would be secure. 



No one distinct breed is more liable to it than another. 



Mongrels (particularly homeless ones) are perhaps mon 

 frequently affected than other classeSj and this is more likel] 

 from the manner of their roving from place to place, coming 

 into contact with strange dogs, and usually those of thei: 

 own kind ; added to which, they are reared in filth, andliv( 

 by scavenging. 



How often, after an outbreak of rabies, do we hear that ; 

 strange dog has been seen in the neighbourhood, belonging 

 to nobody knows who, and generally described as a men 

 grel? 



Dogs are especially inclined to fraternise, or, at all events 

 to inspect one another ; and this, as with human paupers 

 is particularly the case with mongrels and curs. A strangei 

 is immediately gathered round, sniffed over, followed some 

 distance, and perhaps hustled ; the stranger resents it, or ever 

 if not thus interfered with, snaps at the one obstructing him 

 and passes on his way. The same thing happens over and 

 over again in his course : and I need hardly say (presuming 

 him to be rabid) the horrible result is multiplied indifinitely 

 in a like rnanner by his victims. 



Incubation. — The incubative period of rabies is ex- 

 tremely uncertain. My experience, with a few exceptions 

 has been from two to five weeks. 



"In the dog, Lafo^se states that the shortest authenticated 

 period that occurred in his experience was seven days, and 

 the longest one hundred and fifty-five days. Roll gives 

 for the same animal, from three to six, and rarely from 

 seven to ten weeks. Bla:ine asserts that the majority ol 

 cases occur between the third and seventh week, though 

 some are orotracted to three, four, or even a greater numbei 

 of months. A week was the shortest period he had noted, 



