500 
G. ARCHIE STOCKWELL. 
true rabies, apparently, recovered quickly when it whs discovered 
that the creature inflicting the wound was yet alive, and more¬ 
over, in full tide of health. Had the dog-owner destroyed his 
pet in fulfillment of his agreement with the person bitten, the se¬ 
quel would have been less pleasant. 2. Miss Z., a lady of New 
Orleans, was bitten by a pet terrier whereby was produced an ugly 
and cruel wound involving both sides of the thumb and a part of the 
base of its nail. The arm swelled, the glands and absorbents became 
violently inflamed, the wounded member was so exceedingly sensi¬ 
tive and painful as to produce an insomnia that defied opiates and 
sedatives enormously exhibited, and the nervous condition of the 
lady was most deplorable. Neighbors, friends, and physicians, 
who were summoned, united in a verdict of u hydrophobia” and 
demand for the death of the canine. Happily, the father of the 
lady, himself a physician (retired), declined to sacrifice his daugh- j 
ter’s pet until assured beyond doubt that it was rabic. Miss Z. 
lingered long in the trembling balance between life and death, 
but eventually recovered; and the dog waxed old and after many 
years departed life through senility. In these two cases were in¬ 
volved the expressed opinion of the ablest professional talent of 
Michigan and Louisiana, and they exhibit in no slight degree the 
liability to error that exists among the most skilled. Indeed, one 
can but deprecate the carelessness that ever permits a definite af- j 
firmative decision where a diagnosis of rabies is involved. 
Sunday, June 20th, of the current year, I was summoned to a 
case of supposed rabies induced by the bite of a pet fox, the suf¬ 
ferer (a Komanist), believing himself doomed, being already en- . 
gaged in final religious duties. Inquiry precluded the supposition 
of rabies in the animal, which had been too closely confined for 
infection, which was affirmed by the resurrection of its body. 
It is needless to remark, perhaps, that the patient immediately rid 
himself of his hydrophobia and other prevalent symptoms, and 
dismissed his “ soul’s adviser.” Verbum sat sapientis ! In con- j 
elusion are offered a few simple axioms for consideration and j 
remembrance : 
1. Dogs that are rabic never evince fear of water. 
2. Excessive slaver is produced by inability to swallow, and by 
