498 
G. ARCHIE STOCKWELL. 
to inoculate the poodle of Hertwig by rabic dogs were ineffectual; 
in the veterinary school at Lyons dogs t that were bitten experi¬ 
mentally from three to sixteen times remained unaffected; and 
experiments innumerable might be cited where dogs were bitten 
from one to sixty times without evil results. Grove admits that 
but one out of twenty dogs bitten becomes rabid: John Hunter, 
one in twenty-one: Hamilton, one in twenty-five ; and Faber’s 
results gave a total of thirty-one (31) out of eight hundred and 
ninety-two (892) ! Statistics giving larger percentages are found 
to be made up chiefly of spurious rabies, or otherwise open to sus¬ 
picion and criticism. 
All punctured wounds, and indeed all cicatrices no matter how 
firm or aged, have a tendency to inflame and reopen under the in¬ 
fluence of septic poisons, particularly as the blood becomes more 
and more impoverished and the continuity or integrity of the red 
corpuscles is threatened. I have known this to occur as a sequel 
to serpent poisoning, poisoning by the finrays of certain fishes, 
from “ nursing sore-mouth, ( stomatitis materni), and anaemia , 
especially in its pernicious form; and in one instance some 
twenty or more cicatrices of thirty years standing reopened un¬ 
der the influences of the parasites known as pediculi corporis , 
with which the individual fairly swarmed ! 
Rabic poison is popularly held to lie dormant in the vicinity 
of the wound, awaiting only a favorable moment to assert its 
power, which may occur at periods varying from five days to as 
many years or more. This is simply nonsense , and is but a su¬ 
perstition handed down from remote antiquity. It is not only 
contrary to all physiological reasoning, but untrue of any sub¬ 
stance, toxic, septic, or otherwise. Such presupposes a mysterious 
influence whereby stasis of capillary circulation is induced with¬ 
out morbid manifestation in the part; and this it is hardly neces¬ 
sary to remark involves a pathological impossibility ! A certain 
period is essential to the absorption of any poison, varying with 
the substance or material itself, its mode of employment, and the 
characteristics, idiosyncrasies, health, etc., of the individual. If 
the customary manifestations are not exhibited in a reasonable 
space of time, say six weeks, (a most unconsciable limit), the per- 
