393 
PREVALENCE OE RABIES IN AMERICA, &c. 
In a letter received from Mr. H. Corby, of St. Louis, 
U. S., we are informed that “ rabies has been very prevalent 
in the western country of late; attributable,” he presumes, 
“ to the large number of idle dogs everywhere kept, or, 
rather, allowed to prowl about without much keeping. 
“In fact,” he says that “the dog nuisance has become so great 
as to compel the sheep-farmers to apply to the legislature, 
both in this, the Missouri State, and also in Ohio, for some 
protection against the losses which they sustain by reason of 
the worrying of their sheep by dogs. 
“In Ohio,” he believes, “that an act to regulate the 
keeping of dogs was passed; but in Missouri the legisla¬ 
tive body thought that the anti-dog movement had an anti¬ 
slavery tendency, and so feeling that the security of their 
nigger property ought to override all other considerations, 
they left the sheep to take care of themselves. 
“ Ohio, being a free State, was not troubled with any such 
scruples.” 
During the past month we are told that at Lyons, in one 
week, the thermometer suddenly rose from 5° to 35° C.; that 
serpents and vipers became all at once common in the country, 
and in the towns there were several cases of canine madness. 
EORMxlTION AND DISAPPEARANCE OE GxILL-STONES IN 
ANIMALS. 
Audral states, on the authority of certain butchers, that 
when they open the gall-bladder of sheep and oxen, in the 
months of March and April, they frequently find gall-stones 
in it, but they rarely meet with them in the autumn. 
The explanation, as given by the butchers, is as follows — 
From May to November the animals are fed on green food, 
but during the rest of the year on dry food. While freely 
wandering in their pastures they have no attacks of cholic, 
and no gall-stones, form ; but when shut up in stalls, these 
gall-stones form, and they have attacks of cholic. Hence it 
follows that exercise both favours the removal of these con¬ 
cretions, and prevents their formation by burning up the 
fatty matters. 
