24 ON RABIES, OR CANINE MADNESS. 
dog, fox, wolf, and the domestic cat, and that from them it is 
readily communicated to others, namely, horses, cows, sheep, and 
man. It is frequently stated that these last have not the power 
of communicating the complaint to others ; but Mr. Youatt men- 
tions, “ that several farriers have lost their lives from being 
bitten or scratched in the act of administering medicine to rabid 
horses and Magendie and Breschet have taken the saliva of 
a man who was labouring under hydrophobia, and have there- 
with inoculated healthy dogs, which, they assert, became rabid 
and bit other dogs, so spreading the contagion. Though the 
disease has received its name from the horror of water exhibited 
by man, yet the symptom seems confined to him: rabid dogs 
lap freely, and sheep affected with the disease are rather greedy 
of water. It is a great mistake to suppose that every rabid dog 
must be wild and furious ; on the contrary, his faculties are not 
particularly disturbed. There is no want of his usual sense, 
but great irritability ; and, for a time, he knows his master’s voice, 
and obeys him. 
The early symptoms in dogs are usually some peculiarity of 
manner, and some strange departure from their usual habits. In 
many instances, the peculiarity consists in a disposition to pick 
up straws and other small objects. Others keen licking another 
dog, or cold iron, or stones ; and there is often a strong antipa- 
thy to strange dogs. As the disease advances, they bite those 
dogs with which they are associated, and, lastly, the persons 
round them, though this only in a moment of irritation. There 
is also a peculiar change in the voice. In the horse , the symp- 
toms are such as the following : — The animal will go to work 
apparently well ; all at once he will stop, tremble, heave, paw, 
stagger, and fall. Almost immediately he will rise, draw his 
load a little farther, again stop, look about him, and again fall. 
The progress of the disease is rapid. The animal kicks and 
plunges in the most violent manner ; often attempts to seize and 
bite other horses and the attendants, and will level to the ground 
every thing before him, — himself sweating, snorting, and foaming 
amid the ruins. Palsy of the hind legs is apt to supervene, the 
thirst is excessive, and the act of swallowing apparently difficult. 
The disease rarely extends beyond the third day. 
On dissection, there is usually found inflammation at the back 
part of the mouth and nose, and at the top of the windpipe, the 
origin of the spinal cord, and frequently in other places. 
Dogs are much more susceptible of the disease than man. 
Of twelve dogs and four men bitten by the same mad dog, 
every one of the dogs died of the disease, while the four men 
escaped. 
