ON Rabies. 
(119 
Then the complication of bodily suffering with mental alarm and anxiety, 
renders it, in your opinion, a disease of the most terrific character ?—Most 
decidedly ; arising" from the perpetual apprehension of something going to 
occur, of which they can form no conception ; but the perpetual apprehen¬ 
sion of something further, and of suffocation being about to occur, with an 
anxiety of mind, which, as I have already stated, is beyond any thing that is 
the product of any other disease. 
Do not the families and friends of the deceased feel with especial keenness 
the death of a relative under such circumstances ?—Most assuredly; it is the 
most painful disease of all I ever met with. 
Such being the lamentable and terrific nature of the disease and its effect 
upon society, are you not of opinion, that, if the occurrence of hydrophobia 
can be rendered more rare, an immense benefit will be conferred upon the 
community ?—Most assuredly : probably I may suggest that it has been the 
regret of the whole of the profession, and, in fact, of thinking people gene¬ 
rally, that a stop has not been put to advertized medicines, for there cer¬ 
tainly is a remedy, if speedily applied for, which in most cases may prevent 
hydrophobia; but the common people are led away by the publication of 
nostrums, such as the Orrnskirk medicine, upon which no faith can be 
put; and they take this medicine to prevent being cured by surgical inter¬ 
ference, by the removal of the bitten part. That has been a most mischiev¬ 
ous thing, and many people fall a sacrifice to all kinds of medicines, par¬ 
ticularly that Orrnskirk medicine. I know it, not from my own knowledge, 
but from having it imparted to me by respectable persons, that many of 
those who put faith in the Orrnskirk medicine, and other nostrums, have 
fallen victims to hydrophobia. The process of immersion is equally absurd ; 
it amounts to a regular drowning, to vvhich the patient is subject; for, to 
make it more cruel, they are not content with one immersion, but the pro¬ 
cess, to make the charm good, must be repeated three times. 
Has the disease increased of late years ?—I think on the contrary. Cases 
have not come before the public so frequently of late years as they did from 
fifteen to twenty-five years ago. 
Is the most common cause of the disease the bite of a mad dog?—The 
most common, assuredly, although other animals become rabid; but it 
arises from the bite of dogs originally, for I believe it is quite a fact, that the 
dog is the only animal that has the disease originally, although the cat, the 
fox, and other animals, may receive it from dogs. 
Mr. P. Scrope. —The only remedy you place any reliance upon is excision 
of the wounded part ?—Yes, assuredly; and that may be done at a considera¬ 
ble distance from the time of the bite. 
At wliat distance should you say?—I should say from the time of a person 
being bitten to the time that the bitten parts become painful, for they in¬ 
variably become tender: from the time a person is bitten to that when the 
mental symptoms come on, is usually about six weeks, although there are 
some instances in which it is carried on for a greater duration of time ; it is 
said, for some years. 
Do you mean that, if excision of the wounded part takes place at any 
period within that time, a cure may be effected ?—I think so from observa¬ 
tion, and from having repeatedly done the thing. 
You would not cauterize the part?—I should not trust to it so much as to 
excision. 
Mr. Hume. —Have you ever tried it after the mental symptoms came on ?— 
\ r " 
\ cs. 
Witli success ?—No. 
