OBSERVATIONS ON RABIES. 
028 
Postmortem Examination .—On opening* the body the fol¬ 
lowing day, the veins of the extremities, and superficial ones 
generally, were found full of blood in a fluid state, owing pro¬ 
bably to the mare dying immediately after violent exertion, 
when the limbs were in a state of great excitement. The ab¬ 
dominal and thoracic viscera w ere free from disease; but on 
examining the brain about two drachms of coagulated blood 
were found on the medulla oblongata , immediately behind and 
beneath the cerebellum, and a smaller portion w r as also per¬ 
ceived on the tubercula quadrigemina. The prominent cause of 
death, 1 should imagine, w as the rupture of the vertebral vein, 
and effusion of blood on the origin of the nervus vagus . 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE PROXIMATE CAUSES OF 
RABIES IN THE DOG AND OTHER ANIMALS. 
By H. W. Dewhurst, Esq . Surgeon , Professor of Human and 
Comparative Anatomy , fyc. §*c\* 
Mr. President and Gentlemen, 
When I consider the interesting and scientific manner, and 
the industry our worthy secretary, Mr. Youatt, has exhibited for 
many years, in endeavouring to elucidate the pathology of Ra¬ 
bies Canina , and the vast experience he has enjoyed, I cannot 
but confess I feel some diffidence in approaching a subject which 
is of the utmost importance to mankind, inasmuch as from its 
tremendous and horrifying effects so many individuals have 
fallen victims to an aggravated species, which only exists in the 
human race, and from the unfortunate creature being liable to 
a great dread of water, nay, I may say of liquids generally, it 
has been justly denominated hydrophobia. 
I am aw r are of being unable to say that I have had much ex¬ 
perience in the disease in question ; hut from my having formed 
some novel views of the probable causes by which this disease 
may arise in the dog, or many of the lower animals, I must 
crave your kind indulgence to hear the few observations I deem 
it my duty to make, and trust they may be so fortunate as to be 
deemed worthy of your consideration; for it is our duty to promul¬ 
gate any opinion w r e may form of the obscure causes of a disease 
for the discussion of our professional brethren, and thus promote 
the grand cause in which we are engaged, that is, the cultiva¬ 
tion and diffusion of sound anatomical and pathological veteri¬ 
nary knowledge. 
The symptoms, appearances after death, and methods of 
* Read at the London Veterinary Society, Oct. 6, 1830. 
