Diseases of the Nervous System. 265 



and so far as present experiments have gone, to be of no 

 earthly use ; and no man having any regard for his life, 

 however valuable that of his dogs may be, would, I imagine, 

 risk it in administering all the talked-of remedies that have 

 from time to time cropped up. 



Prevention is at all times better than cure, and when 

 rabies makes its appearance in a kennel, isolation of the 

 apparently healthy or unbitten ones I strongly recommend, 

 until a sufficient period has elapsed to prove they have 

 escaped inoculation. With regard to ourselves, all dog- 

 bites, as a precautionary, measure, should be treated as if 

 they were inflicted by a rabid animal — i.e., by immediate 

 suction, followed by the application of the actual cautery 

 nitric acid, or pure carbolic acid. When rabies is suspected, 

 the suction should be directly followed by complete ex- 

 cision of the wound, performed as quickly as possible ; 

 after which, without loss of time, the cautery or acid should 

 Tae freely used. Compression above the wound, especially 

 in the first instance, is also valuable. 



Failing the adoption of these measures or even accom- 

 panying them, the Russian or Turkish bath should, if 

 possible, be irnmediately had recourse to, and in the ab- 

 sence of such measure, free and intense perspiration should 

 be promoted by other means, such being the most effica- 

 cious treatment at present known. Whatever contrary 

 opinions may be expressed, the remedy, if considered use- 

 less, is harmless, i.e., the bath cannot produce hydrophobia 

 or rabbit paralysis, whereas Pasteur's system of inoculation 

 can and unfortunately has done. 



I also advise a powerful stimulant before taking the bath, 

 and subsequently full doses of chlorate of potash and iron. 



The same measures, excepting the baths, and the suction, 

 -which might be done with a cupping-gX^ss, will apply to a 

 •dog bitten under suspicious circumstances. 



An antiquated idea, which unfortunately still prevails, 

 is, that the danger arising from the bite of a dog supposed 



