4807.] 
snany others, have yet discovered ; and er- 
rors may attend some of our assertions, 
in spite of the utmost care to avoid them. 
Hence it is prudent, that in many things 
we should assert not positively, but with 
doubt. 
_ The good king of Siam, to give an ex- 
_ ample, disbelieved, and he was supported 
in his persuasion by his countrymen, that 
the existence of frozen water was impos 
sible. Ice was never seen in that region, 
and the Dutch envoy was discredited, 
_ who made the assertion that he came from 
| a country where the water grew hard and 
cold at certain seasons, and where the 
people waiked on its surface with perfect 
| safety. Yet his majesty of Siam aud all 
his court were in an error. 
~ Toadduce positive proof of spontaneous 
accession is difficult, because the ram- 
bling nature of the dog brings him often 
in company with others of his kind, when 
. the master’s eye isnot over him. But if 
One Instance can be given where the ma- 
lady arose without a bite, it will destroy 
_ theassertion ; for what happens once, may, 
under similar circumstances, happen a 
| second, ‘a third, and to any nuinber of 
times. 
If due confidence can be placed in the 
_ observations of a physician in New Jer- 
sey, in America, where the disease a few 
years ago became prevalent, and ex- 
tended to many dogs in that province, 
_ Mertford, Connecticut, and afterwards to 
Massachusetts, a spontaneous case was 
_ there produced. 
This gentlemen, writing to Dr. Mitchill, 
ef New York, informs him that he traced 
the disease to the first dog known to 
_ be affected in that part of the country 
where he resided. This animal had been 
feeding on some putrid carcases, which 
in prowling about, he had discovered. 
Soon after he was observed to become 
sick, ejecting the matter eaten. After 
I this he bit many animals, dogs, cows, 
pigs, &c. Three cats also went mad, 
but whether bitten by him, is not said. 
It would appear that the carrion 
brought the latent disease into activity, 
which had been previously forming in the 
aninal’s habits, Tt is probable, likewise, 
that he had resorted to it daily, and fed 
during a time suificient to lay the founda- 
fon of the disease, by inducing a morbid 
change in his fluids. The Doctor's dos, 
amongst others, becoming rabid, died, 
and he adds that the alkali, which had 
been administered, did not cure the ani- 
Further Observations an Canine Rabies. 
23h 
mal, yet he thought some good effects rea 
sulted from it.* 
Rabies likewise became frequent after 
the American war, in the neighbourhood 
of Philadelphia, and it was supposed ta 
arise from the quantity of carrion which 
dozs had about thattime eaten. Great num- 
bers of horses and other animals belongs 
ing to the army and the citizens, from 
time to time died, were dragved out toa 
common and leftto the dogs. This prac- 
tice being discontinued, carrion was na 
longer thus exposed, and rabies ceased+. 
Ifit happen at the same time to be warm 
weather, with scarcity of water, thea to 
the addition of these may be ascribed 
with probability @ great part of the re- 
mote cause of the malady. uae 
But rabies has arisen in weather the re- 
verse, when cold-pinched, and hunger, 
perlaps urged. When the half famished 
animal, the property of some starving cote 
tager, is compelled to exist on such 
scraps as the poverty of his master can 
supply, or prowling among danghills and 
filth in search of moré, waiders ‘about to. 
supply a still craving appetite. Under 
these circumstances material changes, 
must also be wrought in the animal’s sys= 
tein; aud thus starvation and cold ma 
lay the foundation of ‘the disease equally 
with hot weather, thirst, and voracious 
gorging of alkalescent food. These, in- 
deed, are two extremes, but both capas 
ble of the greatest deviations from health; 
and itis possible that the one, in some 
degree independent of tie other, may 
give origin to one and the same disease, 
Analogy in some other maladies will war- 
rant this suppositien, 
Butsupposing it to arise from the first :— 
hot, acrid food, taken uncontrouledly, 
would produce costiveness, This avain 
changes in the assimilation of the fluids, 
and thus a poison may be generated, in- 
ducing that train of symptoms denomi- 
nated fabies. 
Costiveness even of itself will lay the 
foundation of indisposition; and. this 
will alter the animal’s temper. To trace 
the changes which this can occasion, 
if kept up for some time py alkalescent 
and putrid food, would uot well accord 
with this place; but the effects Inay be 
easily compreiiended- 
Nature, it is trae, prompts the animal 
to seek relief, if it can be fonnd, by de 
* Vide Duncan’s Annals of Med, vol. 4, 
fT Vide Mease. 
te. 
