692 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE ON CANINE MADNESS. 
made to ascertain what are the actual phenomena presented. 
I believe there are cases where dogs are supposed to be rabid, 
when they are merely afflicted with the distemper. I am doubtful 
of there being any appearances from which you can positively 
assert that the animal was rabid. 
Have you seen an account of a cure lately effected by leaving 
the, wound open to suppurate'?—I have heard of the case, but 
there were no symptoms of the disease that manifested themselves; 
the symptoms of the disease were not developed, The mere 
circumstance of the wound having been kept open, and the 
person not having been affected with hydrophobia, does not shew 
that the treatment in question was better than having the part 
cut out. 
Might it not be tried in parts where you could r ot try the ex¬ 
cision ?—There are few parts to which you could apply caustic 
where you cannot perform excision. If you apply caustic, you 
must take care that the caustic is strong enough to destroy all 
the parts affected; but we think that the knife can, with a greater 
degree of certainty, be employed. With regard to the appear¬ 
ance exhibited after death in the human subject, there are but 
few instances of persons dying of hydrophobia in which there 
have not been appearances of inflammation about the fauces. 
How many years have you been in practice in your profes¬ 
sion?—! have been twenty-five years at St. Bartholomew’s. 
Is it your opinion that hydrophobia has increased of late 
years?—Certainly ; and the ground of that belief is, that I have 
seen, living or dead, nine instances in the space of twenty-five 
years; and my father, in the space of fifty years, never saw but 
one. 
But you have had hospital practice?—Yes; and so had my 
father, at the same institution. 
Have you seen many instances of hydrophobia in the present 
year ?—Not one. 
Have you heard of any ?—I heard of one at St. Thomas’s 
Hospital. The one at Middlesex Hospital was not hydrophobia; 
it was one of delirium tremens . 
May not delirium tremens be mistaken for hydrophobia by 
ignorant people?—Yes. 
Do tetanic complaints much resemble hydrophobia ?—In some 
respects ; but there is not the lock-jaw in hydrophobia. 
I think you said you saw nine instances in twenty-five 
years?—I have seen them alive, or been present at the ex¬ 
amination after death. 
Is it your opinion that the saliva of rabid animals can be taken 
