398 
ANIMAL PATHOLOGY. 
it was evident that she was a little alarmed. She consented 
that the animal should be taken away, and that the caustic should 
be applied to her hands ; but stoutly maintained that I had 
quite mistaken the malady of her dog, although he had in the 
mean time bitten her footman and a boy. The dog died, and, 
as the post-mortem appearances proved, decidedly rabid. The 
lady met with some one who persuaded her that there was no 
rabies in the case ; and she left town with the full impression that 
she had been unnecessarily punished, and that I had poisoned 
her dog # . 
You will, therefore, consider the attempt at licking either an 
animate or inanimate object by a dog that was never accustomed 
to this habit, and more than usual eagerness in the act in those that 
have been indulged in this abominable custom, as very suspicious 
circumstances. I think you will agree with me, that the man or 
woman who suffers a dog to lick the hands is guilty of a very nasty 
trick ; and that the person who permits this to extend to the lips 
and face, deserves to lose for ever all chance of any thing better 
than the lips of a dog being brought into contact with theirs. 
The Coach Dog. — There is a beautiful species of dog, often the 
inhabitant of the gentleman’s stable, the Dalmatian or coach 
dog. He has, perhaps, less affection for the human species than 
any other dog, except the greyhound and the bull-dog — he has 
less sagacity than most others, and certainly less courage. He 
is attached to the stable — he is the friend of the horse ; they live 
under the same roof — they share the same bed — and when the 
horse is summoned to his work, his quadruped friend accompa- 
nies every step. These are certainly beautiful dogs, and it is 
pleasing to see the thousand expressions of friendship between 
them and the horse : but in their continual excursions though 
the streets they are exposed to some danger, and particularly to 
that of being bitten by rabid dogs. It is a fearful business when 
this takes place. The coachman, probably, saw not the affray. 
No suspicion has been excited — the dog and the horses are still 
interchanging assurances of their regard for each other — the 
horse rubs his muzzle on the dog, and the dog licks the muzzle 
and face of the horse, and in nine case out of ten the fatal 
disease is communicated from the one to the other. The dog in 
process of time dies — the horse does not long survive — and too 
* There is a somewhat apocryphal account related by Dr. Mayer, of Peters- 
burgh, which the reader may believe or not, as he pleases : — 
“ A young man had an ulcer on his left leg, which he suffered his dog to 
lick frequently. The dog shortly afterwards became rabid, and six and twenty 
months afterwards the owner was, without any further assignable cause, 
attacked with hydrophobia. In this patient dread of the least movement in 
the air was observed. He died on the eighth day.” — Huf eland's Journal. 
