702 
ON It ABIES CAN IN A. 
been, that I have discovered one or more minute wounds, which 
in process of time might have been the possible or probable source 
of disease. 
In two instances horses were bitten by or exposed to the bite 
of a rabid dog. I had both of them clipped, and I found minute 
wounds on each of them, which would certainly have escaped 
notice, and might have been the cause of death. 
Mr. Turner supposes that “spasm of the glottis is found 
among the first alarming indication of rabies ; that it is never 
absent, except at short intervals; and that it invariably exists 
with redoubled fury at the close of the awful scene.” 
I confess that, in my practice, far more liujited than that of 
Mr. Turner, I have seen, comparatively, little of this spasm of 
the glottis. I have seen the horse that was in the morning per- 
fectly well brought home at noon, trembling, heaving, stagger- 
ing — working himself into the highest state of excitation, uttering 
the most dreadful cries, and ready to accomplish every kind of 
mischief, his countenance wild, and his lips quivering. A few 
hours have passed over — perhaps not an hour — and he is, com- 
paratively, quiet; he seeks for notice and for relief. Then, in- 
deed, there is occasionally something like spasm of the glottis — 
a violent disturbance of the respiratory organs; a horrible species 
of delirium comes over the poor fellow ; he is perfectly without 
controul ; he injures himself, and destroys every thing around 
him, until he falls exhausted or dead. I acknowledge that it 
would be a glorious thing to be able to afford the tortured animal 
even a temporary respite; but how is this to be accomplished? 
Will it be an easy or a practicable matter, or consistent with our 
own safety and that of others, to cast this poor beast, and to 
keep him down while we perform on him the operation of trache- 
otomy? I should much fear the practicability of this ; and yet 
I should glory to see our friend successfully employed in effecting 
the operation. If he ever does attempt the experiment, “ may 
we be there to see !” 
May we remind our readers of the commencement of our 
Journal of 1843? It was a noble list of contributors which then 
graced our pages. We will endeavour to deserve a continuancer 
of their support. 
