. HYDROPHOBIA. . 38r 
placing it at the head of this division ; and as it is of the utmost 
importance to understand its symptoms, the sooner it is studied 
the better. At present there appears to be little or no control 
over this horrible complaint, so that it is solely with a view to 
recognise the attack and prevent its transmission, by inoculation 
that it is interesting: to the owner of the dog. 
The symptoms are chiefly as follows:—The first is a marked 
change of temper; the naturally cheerful dog becoming waspish 
and morose, and the bold fondling pet retreating from his master’s 
hand as if. it was that of a stranger. On-the other hand, the shy 
dog sometimes becomes bold; but in almost every case there is a 
total change of manner for several days before the absolute out- 
break of the attack, which is indicated by a kind of delirious 
watching of imaginary objects, the dog snapping at the wall, or 
if anything comes in his way, tearing it to pieces with savage 
fury. With this there is constant watchfulness, and sometimes 
a peculiarly hollow howl, while at others no sound whatever is 
given, the case being then described as “dumb madness.” Fever 
is always-present, but it is difficult to ascertain its extent on 
account of the danger of approaching the patient, and with this 
(in contradiction to the name hydrophobia) there is invariably an 
urgent thirst, which the dog is in such a hurry to gratify that he 
generally upsets the vessel containing his water. Mr. Grantley 
Berkeley maintains very strongly that no dog really attacked 
with rabies will touch.water, and that the presence of thirst is a 
clear sign of the absence of this disease; but this opinion is so 
entirely in opposition to the careful accounts given by all those 
who have witnessed the disease when it had unquestionably been 
communicated either to man or to some of the lower animals that 
no reliance ought to be placed upon it, especially where so impor- 
tant a stake is involved. Mr. Youatt witnessed more cases of 
rabies than perhaps any equally good observer ever did, and he 
‘strongly insists upon the presence of thirst, as may be gathered 
from the concluding portion of the following extract :— 
“Some very important conclusions may be drawn from the appearance 
and character of the urine. The dog, and at particular times ‘when he i is 
more than .tsttally salacious, may, and does, diligently search. the urining- 
