MINUTES OF EVIDENCE ON CANINE MADNESS. 6 87 
opened them, and seen others examined, particularly by Mr. 
Youatt, who possesses a great deal of information upon the 
subject, perhaps more than any man I know. 
What do you consider to be the cause of canine madness?— 
I believe, from the evidence I possess, it is, in every instance, 
communicated from one dog to another : it does not arise spon¬ 
taneously. 
Do you believe that the provision, the mode of treatment, want 
of water, or the influence of severe weather, has any effect upon 
dogs, and produces hydrophobia?—I think there is no decided 
evidence to prove that; and on the opposite side, there is a great 
deal of evidence to disprove it; for instance, the total absence of 
the disease in many parts of the world, particularly in Lisbon, 
where dogs are to oe found to a very great extent. It is well 
know n they are the scavengers of Lisbon, feeding on the offal. 
Do you speak from general information, or are you particularly 
acquainted with the fact of dogs not being subject to be mad in 
Lisb on ?—I have been informed by persons who had been long 
resident in Lisbon, that the disease is not known there. 
Does the species of madness differ in various cases ?—Dogs 
are affected differently; some dogs are not at all disposed to bite 
when they are rabid. 
What is the case as to others ?—Others, and particularly the 
fighting’ dogs, are disposed to bite other dogs, but not to fight. 
Can you give any reason, either in the temper of the dogs, or 
any other cause, which constitutes this difference between the 
two sorts of dogs ?—The habits of dogs are very different. 
Spaniels, and dogs of that description, are not so disposed to be 
quarrelsome; there is no other rational reason to assign for it. 
The most violent dogs, the bull dogs, and dogs of that description, 
when they are afflicted with rabies, merely bite and run on. Sir 
John Shelley’s keeper informed me, that he had seen a dog, 
which I supposed to be rabid, bite at almost every dog in the 
kennel, snapping at them, but not fighting with them. 
In cases of rabbits, and animals that you have inoculated, have 
you found the same difference in the disorder ?—There is a great 
difference: some animals have no disposition whatever to bite. 
The horse, when affected, has no disposition to bite; his tail is 
stiff, and ears erect, but he has no disposition to bite. 
Do you consider madness in dogs a perfectly incurable dis¬ 
ease ? —I w ill not undertake to say so much; but no remedy has 
yet been discovered. At present, there is an important question 
agitating the minds of many medical men witli respect to this. 
An opinion is entertained by some, that the disease can arise spon¬ 
taneously in dogs, and that when communicated by inoculation 
