ON RABIES CANINA. 89 
this, as to some chemical affinity between the nitrate and the 
virus, by which an insoluble and inert compound is formed? 
After the operation, nothing stimulating should be applied. It 
is no unusual practice to keep open the wound for several weeks. 
This carries absurdity on the very face of it. We have stated 
that the virus long lies inert. It cannot exert its fatal energy 
unless it has added to its quantity, or the constitution or the 
part has become irritated, and more susceptible of impression. 
Then, if a minute portion of the virus should perchance remain 
in the wound, by applying stimulating unguents to the part, 
you take the readiest means to stimulate the absorbents to action, 
and you possibly produce that disease which would not otherwise 
have had existence. Destroy the part at once by the knife or the 
caustic, and then adopt the mildest means speedily to heal the 
wound. 
Until what time may the knife or caustic be applied with a fair 
prospect of success ? The sooner the better. 1 have said that it 
is probable the vims remains for a while innocuous in the bitten 
part. It may, however, be absorbed. Every analogy and fact 
would lead us to conclude that the absorbents have, for a consi¬ 
derable period, no power over it; but we have no strict and certain 
proof of this; therefore no delay should be admitted. I should, 
however, apply the caustic with confidence at any period before 
the appearance of the disease. Seventeen of my patients had been 
bitten more than a week before the operation; two more than a 
fortnight, and the majority more than twenty-four hours. Until 
some effect has been produced on the nervous fibrils in contact 
with the virus, and that, or the influence of it, has been conveyed 
to the common sensorium, and thence propagated over the frame, 
and thus new relations have been established with other and dis¬ 
tant parts, I should not hesitate to operate. At one of our hospi¬ 
tals, amputation was not long ago performed above the bitten 
part, vet the poor fellow died. The disease had been established 
before the operation; and that series of morbid action had com¬ 
menced which could not be arrested. There are facts, however, 
on record, which will fully exculpate the surgeon who advised or 
performed the operation. It is related in the Medico-Chirurgical 
Annals of Altenburg (Sept. 1821), that two men were bitten by a 
rabid dog. One became hydrophobous and died ; the other had 
evident symptoms of hydrophobia a few days afterwards. A sur¬ 
geon excised the bitten part, and the disease disappeared. After a 
period of six days the symptoms returned: the wound was examined. 
Considerable fungus was sprouting from its bottom : this was ex 1 
tirpated ; the hydrophobie symptoms were again removed ; and 
the man did well. 
N 
