272 
VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
Piers, Clerk, v. Oxlade. 
This was an action of trespass, brought by a clergyman residing 
near Great Marlow, against a farmer, for killing his dog. A plea 
of justification was entered, that the dog was mad, and at large in 
a rabid state, to the great terror and danger of the people ; and that 
thereupon defendant killed him, as he lawfully had a right to do. 
By the replication the madness was denied. 
Mr. Kelly and Mr. Gunning for the plaintiff; Mr. Serjeant 
Storks for the defendant. 
It appeared in evidence, that the dog was a favourite terrier, ac- 
customed to be treated with great care and kindness by the family, 
and so little notion had they of the dog being mad, that on the 
morning of the day he met his death, the cook fed him, and he 
played with the children. Five witnesses positively denied that 
on that day the dog had any symptoms of hydrophobia, or was in 
any other way dangerous. Three witnesses on the other side swore 
to the symptoms of rabidity, such as foaming at the mouth, and 
snapping at pigs, &c. At all events, it was certain that somebody 
had pronounced him mad, and raised the “ hue and cry” upon him, 
before the defendant killed him, which he did in the pursuit, with a 
blow of a spade, after some other person had discharged a gun at him. 
The learned Judge left it to the Jury to decide between the con- 
flicting evidence on both sides, telling them, that if the defendant 
did not act from any malicious intention, but really believed the dog 
to be mad, and thought, bond fide , that in killing him he was pre- 
venting danger to the public, he would be justified, although the 
dog was not in reality mad. 
The Jury returned a verdict for the defendant. 
A List of Gentlemen who have passed their Exami- 
nation at the Royal Veterinary College, London. 
February 27, 1839. 
Mr. Henry Arthy, Fordham, Essex. 
Mr. James Bennett, Havering, Essex. 
Mr. Thomas Insley, Newton in the Willows, Lancashire. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Our Journal lies on the table of most of the subscribers to it. This pre- 
vents the insertion of a very ingenious Essay which we have received. We 
should be most happy to hear from the author on any other subject. 
The Editor will probably be compelled to leave town for a fortnight, after the 
middle of April. May he, as a personal kindness, ask those who intended 
to oblige him with communications for the next number, to contrive that they 
shall reach their destination by the 12th of April. 
The communications received a little too late from some Correspondents, 
in our next. 
