458 
ANIMAL PATHOLOGY. 
operation which he has performed ? The plain matter of fact is, 
that both the knife and the caustic have failed in the most skil¬ 
ful hands, and the former oftener than the latter. Not many 
months ever pass without some record of a death from hydro¬ 
phobia, although the patient had submitted to the usual and 
the best surgical treatment. 
In many cases of severe and lacerated wounds, which bid 
defiance to excision, and can scarcely be fathomed even by the 
caustic, the humane and honest surgeon will often painfully 
reflect on the possible melancholy issue of the affair. He will 
identify himself with the feelings and apprehensions of the 
family and friends of his patient; and while he will place much 
confidence on the attempted destruction of the part, he will look 
anxiously around him for some subsidiary measure which shall 
make assurance doubly sure. 
Are there any preventives ? I know that I am treading here 
on dangerous ground. There are plenty of these preventives, if 
the advertisements of the quack or the firm belief of the pea¬ 
sant can be depended upon. Indeed, the principles and the 
practice of legitimate science acknowledge the possibility of their 
existence. We inoculate with vaccine matter, and we obtain, for 
awhile, an immunity from small-pox. The poison of measles has 
been received into the frame, and the system is fully impregnated 
with it. The patient, accidentally or by design, is inoculated 
with the variolous matter while the eruption of measles is thick 
upon him. The second poison is perfectly inert until the first 
has run its course, and then it assumes all its wonted activity. 
Then, are we able so to modify or change the connexion or action 
of certain parts, or can we bring the constitution generally into 
such a state that the influence of the rabid virus may be success¬ 
fully resisted ? 
This is a very important inquiry. It is that on which the effi¬ 
cacy of every preventive measure is founded, and, to a certain ex¬ 
tent, it is confirmed both by theory and practice. 
Rabies is an affection of the nervous system. Is it possible, 
by the exhibition of some diffusible stimulant, whose power of 
excitement may be considerable and permanent, and its sedative 
effect slight and transient, and whose principal action is on the 
nervous systems—is it possible to maintain a constant excitement 
of them until the virus is worn out? or may a gradual change or 
modification of the nervous system be produced, so that it shall 
not be susceptible of the influence of the virus? 
These were the questions that I was accustomed to ask my¬ 
self, and which induced me to put to the test all the sup¬ 
posed preventives whose composition I could ascertain ; and I 
