ON RABIES CANINA. 281 
parts with which it is in contact, as to make life the forfeitm-e of its 
continuance. 
The best collection of cases I have met with on this subject, are 
those which appeared in No. 4 of the Veterinarian,’^ page 119. 
They rest on continental authority; but they have the appearance 
of truth, and are well worthy of the perusal of those who seek in¬ 
formation on this most important subject. 
' I am. Sir, &c. 
John Percivall, Sen^, V. S. to the Ordnance. 
ON RABIES CANINA. By W. Youatt. 
(Continued from page 159.) 
I THINK we are justified in concluding, from the foregoing state¬ 
ment, that rabies is produced by inoculation alone, and that the 
virus is confined to the saliva. 
The vims of every rabid animal will communicate the disease. 
It is chiefly propagated by the dog, because with him the teeth 
are the natural-weapons of offence; and when labouring under 
this malady he has a strange and irrepressible disposition to bite. 
He is likewise most exposed to inoculation; and there would seem 
to be in him a peculiar aptitude to take on the disease. 
The saliva of the cat, the fox, the badger, the‘wolf, the horse, 
the pig, the human being, have undoubtedly produced rabies, and 
some say that it has been propagated even by the hen and the 
duck. 
Veterinarians should therefore be careful how they administer 
medicine, where there is the slightest reason to suspect the exist¬ 
ence of rabies. If the hands be not perfectly sound (and of that 
we cannot be always sure), the mouth should be carefully avoided. 
Many farriers have perished from ignorantly or foolhardily drench¬ 
ing or balling a rabid dog; and a groom, not long ago, became hy- 
drophobous from a scratch which he received in administering a 
ball to a horse. 
The vims does not appear to have the same effect on all ani¬ 
mals. Almost every dog that is bitten by one that is rabid, be¬ 
comes rabid. The majority of horses inoculated with the virus 
perish. Cattle have more chance. The skin is looser, and less 
easily penetrated. A full half of those who were seized by a mad 
dog would escape. With sheep the bite is even less dangerous. 
The tooth has perhaps been cleaned in its passage through the 
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