684 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE ON CANINE MADNESS. 
to all 1 have been capable of collecting, it has very materially 
increased. 
To what cause do you attribute that increase?—To the dog 
being, from his nature, an animal more liable to this disease 
than most others; to his extensive intercourse with his own 
species, as well as with other animals; and to the various causes 
of excitement to which he is continually exposed. 
You attribute the increase of the disease, as affecting the 
human animal, to the increase of the number of the dog species 
kept in England at this time, as compared with the number 
kept at a period thirty years ago?—I certainly think it follows, 
as I have said, that the greater degree of liability of the animal 
to disease arises from the greater extent of communication of 
those animals with each other, and the more extensive oppor¬ 
tunity of inflicting the disease, not only on their own species, 
but on many other animals. To those circumstances I would 
attribute what I assume to be the case, namely, the greater 
degree of the prevalence of the disease in question. 
In your judgment it appears to be a question of proportions. 
Are you aware that there are countries in which dogs abound 
in a much greater degree than is the case in England, and in 
which the disease of canine madness is not understood to prevail 
at all?—Holding, as I do, the opinion that this disease depends 
upon the agency of a particular poison or virus, I should alone 
expect that the disease would shew itself where the virus or 
contagion existed, and would be unknown in countries where it 
was not introduced. I am quite aware that in Egypt, and in 
various other parts of the world, the inhabitants are happily 
strangers to the disease; which, as I have said, I attribute 
to the virus productive of the disease never having been 
introduced. 
Exactly in the same way as a particular disease w T as not 
known in the South Sea Islands, till the English navigators in¬ 
troduced it?—This has been the case with the venereal disease 
and the small-pox. 
In places where, for instance, as in India, the dogs are very 
numerous, and go at large without owners, the disease is known; 
but it is not nearly so prevalent as it seems to % be in this 
country. To what would you be inclined to attribute that?— 
I can easily admit that climate may make a difference; but I 
should, I confess, be more disposed to attribute its greater pre¬ 
valence here to the more extensive intercourse that takes place 
here in dog-fights, and in various opportunities that those 
animals have of associating with each other, and the provocation 
they undergo. 
