164 The Carnivora. 
been ascertained had any knowledge of the subject prevailed 
among those officially concerned in such investigations. Ob- 
viously, complete reliance was placed on the testimony 
of the medical gentleman, who, it should be said, had a 
deservedly. high reputation for ability and experience in 
his profession, but was clearly deficient in his knowledge 
of rabies in the dog, and its counterpart in the human 
subject. 
The following case of reputed “hydrophobia,” which was 
treated at one of the leading metropolitan hospitals in 1876, 
is, in many respects, so instructive, that I give extracts from 
the notes made for me by one of the surgeons in attendance 
on it from first to last: “The patient, J. S., aged twenty-five, 
was reported by his wife to be much given to drink, was 
drunk every Saturday night, very violent indeed, even when 
not under the influence of drink, had had three fits (epilepti- 
form), and, with this exception, had never had a day’s illness. 
On the 16th of December, 1875, when walking at night, he trod 
on a dog’s foot, and, in return, was bitten on the face, the 
leg, and the left arm. The wounds on leg and face were 
very small; that on arm was a lacerated one, of considerable 
depth, and more than an inch long. All three wounds were 
freely cauterised that night, by a surgeon. In fourteen days, 
they had all healed without trouble—no dressing. Patient 
would not have them touched, and seemed excited whenever 
they were alluded to. On the twelfth day after the accident, 
he complained of pain in neck, starting from region of 
wound, and numbness of left arm; he was foolishly obstinate, 
and would not admit the bite as the cause. Has seemed dull 
and low-spirited since Christmas. Used to brood over acci- 
dent, though never confessed to it. Has looked peculiar 
since—eyes wild and wandering.” (The above, being the 
wife’s account of the description of the symptoms, may, in 
some respects, be tinged by imagination.) “On the day 
before his death, he slept with his eyes open, talked in sleep, 
&e. When told of this in the morning, he seemed agitated 
