Diseases of the Nervous System. 249 



taking place previous to the manifestation of the first symp- 

 toms, is a matter of pure hypothesis. The venom of the 

 cobra, hydrocyanic acid, strychnine, and other poisons, pro- 

 duce effects more or less prompt and decided, according 

 to the amount introduced into the body of any animal, 

 and we can exactly prognosticate not only the result, but 

 the time about which it should occur. The virus of con- 

 tagious diseases, and more particularly hydrophobia, differs 

 from these, inasmach as a minute quantity is as potent in 

 inducing its particular malady, in a certain time, as a large 

 quantity ; and in the special disease now under considera- 

 t'on it may lie in a latent condition for a long period with- 

 out affording the slightest indication of its presence."* 



Duration. — The duration 'of rabies is rarely long — from 

 one to ten days may be taken as the two extremes. A 

 few cases have been noted over the latter period ; but they 

 are very exceptional instances,' and attended with some 

 degree of doubt. Those in my own experience have been 

 from four to five days ; most of them have died on the 

 fifth. ' ■ , '■ 



Fleming observes : " The progress of rabies in the dog 

 is always very rapid, and the termination, it may well be 

 said, invariably fatal." 



Its duration in no case appears to have exceeded ten 

 days ; and in the majority 9f instances death takes place 

 about the fourth, fifth, or sixth day after the appearance 

 of the first morbid symptoms. Of course, it also occurs 

 much earlier. Out of several tables we will only refer to 

 those of Professors Saint-Cyr and Peuch, of the Lyons 

 School, as they afford a fair idea of the duration of the 

 disease in a number of cases. In 1864, fifty-four rabid 

 dogs were reported. Death took place at the following 

 periods : 



* Fleming's " Rabies and Hydrophobia," pp. 165, 166. 



