686 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE ON CANINE MADNESS. 
for the Committee to received—In my view of the subject, I 
know of no security beyond that of keeping out of the reach of 
accident. 
Does any plan suggest itself to your mind by which the public 
attention might be advantageously directed, aided by the in¬ 
quiries of medical men, to the prevention or cure of the dis¬ 
ease ?—I am of opinion, that notwithstanding the very minute 
attention which has naturally been paid to that question, and 
the various measures that have been proposed, we are not yet in 
possession of any preventive or curative means, the local treat¬ 
ment prior to the appearance of the disease excepted, on which 
any reliance can be placed. 
In what proportion has the disease increased ? have you any 
tables by which you can state that fact?—No, I have not. 
Have you known of a very considerable number of persons 
who have been bitten recently, being brought into the hospitals, 
or before private practitioners?—I am now so much more oat of 
the way of seeing accidents of this kind than when I resided in 
Guy's Hospital, that all the recent information 1 have upon that 
subject is by communication with medical friends. 
Do you think that the cutting the part, or using caustic, affords 
almost a certainty of the prevention of disease, after having' been 
bitten?—It appears,on indubitable evidence, that cases have oc¬ 
curred of complete failure under the employment of those means, 
practised by the most experienced and judicious hands. I would, 
notwithstanding, recommend that the part should be removed 
(if this can be done with safety), and that caustic should be 
afterw T ards applied, as the most effectual means. 
Do you conceive there has been a great increase in the number 
of dogs about the streets?—Yes ; in London dogs are certainly 
much more frequently employed in drawing carts than formerly. 
Do you think the exertion to which the dog is put will increase 
the disease?—The dog, having been once bitten, I think it not 
improbable that he would be more liable to have the poison of 
the disease called into action by any violent excitement. 
Henry Earle , Esquire, called in and examined. 
I wish you would be so good as to give some general infor¬ 
mation to the Committee upon the subject of canine madness; 
you have had opportunities of seeing such cases, particularly in 
one instance, at my house. Some spaniels were mad ; and you 
inoculated some rabbits with the saliva of a dog that died mad. 
You have seen the effect?—Yes. 
Have you seen any cases of mad dogs?—Several: I have 
