690 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE ON CANINE MADNESS. 
violent distemper. We are yet ignorant with regard to many 
important facts in this disease as it affects dogs. 
In that instance you have mentioned, it was doubtful whether 
it was the disease of hydrophobia?—Yes. 
Did you ever know r any person really afflicted with the disease 
to recover?—Never. 
Are there other complaints which medical men of eminence 
are apt to mistake for hydrophobia?—I cannot say that from any 
thing- I have myself observed: in the instances I have myself 
seen, the symptoms have been clearly marked, and the persons 
after death have exhibited all the appearances said to exist in 
hydrophobia. 
Did you not attend a woman who w^as mad that bit your 
finger ?—The first instance of hydrophobia I ever witnessed was 
that of a woman, from the bite of a cat. I was about to give 
her some ice, and she was so very eager to catch at it, that she 
tore my finger with one of her teeth; in consequence of which I 
had the piece removed immediately. Great doubts existed at 
that time, in the minds of medical men, whether the disease could 
be communicated from one human being to another, and I w as 
laughed at very much for taking the precaution of having the 
piece taken out. After the woman was dead, half a dozen 
rabbits were inoculated from her saliva, and as far as my re¬ 
collection serves, two or three rabbits died with all the symptoms 
of rabies. 
You said you yourself never had any doubt about the disease: 
do you not think now medical men might mistake other com¬ 
plaints for hydrophobia?—I think it is quite possible: I have 
know n an instance in w hich a medical student w^as fully impressed 
with the idea that he had hydrophobia, and was in a state of 
mental hydrophobia for twenty-four hours. I w r as fortunate 
enough in knowing that he had a great penchant for porter, and 
I cured him with a pot of porter, by bringing a pot of porter 
fresh from the tap, which he took and drank off*. He was for 
twenty-four hours labouring under the strong impression that he 
had hydrophobia. 
Is it not a spasmodic affection?—Yes, a dreadful spasmodic 
affection, and is often produced by the sight of fluids. I have 
seen a patient on observing a looking-glass thrown into convul¬ 
sions; and the passing of the urine in the same person produced 
convulsions. 
How early does it take place after the bite, that the inflamma¬ 
tion of the throat takes place you speak of?—I have never known 
any instance of the disease sooner than five weeks. There are 
authenticated cases recorded as late as twelve months afterwards. 
