APPENDIX.-D. 
323 
ble to the human race, although instances of this are extremely 
rare, and although the disease, even in the dog, is unusual. 
The ignorance concerning this malady, the superstitious awe 
in which it is held, the absurdly sanguinary laws, and the popu 
lar mania—for I can call it nothing else—existing in this coun¬ 
try with regard to that highly useful and excellent animal the 
dog, which has been properly styled the natural friend of man, 
have induced me to devote a considerable space to the symp¬ 
toms, treatment, and diagnosis of canine madness, both in the 
animal and in the human being. 
My object being to show what are the real symptoms in the 
dog, which have been thus far generally misunderstood—what 
are the symptoms and diseases on which false opinions of mad¬ 
ness have been found; and, lastly, how rare the malady is in 
itself, and how perfectly easy and certain is its cure, if the pro¬ 
per sanative course is adopted in time. And, above all things, 
here, and once for all, I would impress on every one the convic¬ 
tion, that there are no prophylactics, no antidotes, no cure except 
the knife and fire ; and especially I would caution them against 
the use of quack medicines, now widely advertised as of certain 
effectiveness in this, when it occurs, fearful malady. 
Before proceeding to quote and abridge from Mr. Blaine, I 
will observe, for the last time, that—although if we credit news¬ 
paper reports, never a week passes without, at least, a dozen 
rabid dogs being killed, after biting a dozen people in every 
large city in the United States—I am convinced not a dozen 
rabid dogs are to be found annually in any town on the whole 
continent of America ; and farther, that of a dozen persons 
bitten by really rabid dogs , not above one in four contracts the 
disease ; and that he is in no danger, if he goes to work rightly. 
Canine madness, if taken in hand instantly, is a disease infi¬ 
nitely more under the control of the mediciner, than half the 
maladies to which we are liable,—more so than any malignant 
fever, tor instance, and more so than any serious inflammation ; 
if neglected until too late, it is fatal!—so are they. But had I 
my choice to-morrow, of being bitten by a certainly rabid dog, 
