that he was MAD. Four Months before, as he was riding out, a HORSE in the Staggers, took hold of him by the Breeches, shook, and laid him on the Ground, without the least Harm; being told, long after, that the HORSE was dead of the Staggers, He said," the HORSE died Mad, and I shall die Mad too." The Author remarks, "It is well known that Dangers appear more in Appearance than in Reality;" we agree, that MAN inherits this FEELING, but let us ask this eccentric SURGEON, How the Sensation of Dread, this Prepossession of extreme Peril, is to operate, upon the MINDS of YOUNG CHILDREN, whose Reason has not yet expanded its Powers, and upon CATTLE of all Sorts, who have no REFLECTION at all, of future Dangers, and likewise upon the DoG himself, who is the wretched Object, with whom this virulent Poison, is supposed to originate, and by whose BITE and SALIVA, So far as SciENCE, and the most scrutinized FACTS, can illustrate, it is conveyed. True it is, CASES are quoted, as to the Effects of Apprehension, but unluckily, those Terrors have been derived, from the very Source, whence it is so pretemptorily insisted, no Disorder can possibly be imparted, namely, the BITE of a RABID ANIMAL. As an Auxiliary, a Man is introduced, who kept a Public-house, and pretended to be a Gamekeeper, and vast knowing, in DOGS, and who, according to the joint Account of himself and Friend, had undergone and survived, all the Horrors of HYDROPHOBIA, yet now, whenever he is called on for Advice, (which for the Safety of his MAJESTY's Liege Subjects, it is hoped, rarely happens) tells you, “He has always prevented any Disease taking Place, by convincing the SUFFERERS, of the Perfect Safety of their Situation; telling them, that there was not any Danger, acquainting them of the UTTER IMPOSSIBILITY of Dogs, communicating Disease to MAN." One Case we shall

state, from this speculative Repository. "A Mr. E. was bitten by a Mad-dog, which died in a few Days after; being recommended to have the wounded Parts cut out, the Gamekeeper, successfully persuaded him, it was ridiculous to believe, he could acquire any Disease from the Dog, and he would convince him of the Truth of his Assertion, by putting his own Hand, into the Dog's Mouth." This Proof, as the Dog was dead, would be given without much Risque to the Performer. The Endeavour, to counteract the Mischief, which a TREATISE, so marked with Stage Effect might do, with the Ignorant and Incautious, can at all warrant its Notice.

Let us now examine, a few of the Records, of general and scientific Practice. Dr. MOSELY observes,

ge

It has been customary to call this Disease, by the neral Name of HYDROPHOBIA, but that is incorrect; therefore I divide it into three Stages:

I. Hydrophobia, or the dread of Water.

II. Discataposis, or Difficulty in swallowing, and choaking.

III. Rabies, or Convulsion, attended with spitting and foaming at the Mouth.

It is my Practice, and I recommend it to others, when called to Patients bitten by a Mad-dog, to try them immediately, and from time to time, with WATER, either of fered to drink, or by having a Basin filled with Water, and slopping it from that, into a Pewter Pot, and from thence back to the Basin a few Times, in order to detect, as early as possible, the Hydrophobia, or first decided

Symptom, produced by the Poison of a Mad-dog. Had I not done so, with Mrs. LACASE, the Patient would have been lost. A few Hours more elapsed, there would have been no Possibility, of exhibiting Medicines internally; and the Period, between the second Stage of the Disease, and Death, is so short, that there is no Time for external Applications, to find their Way, effectually, into the Sys

tem.

I have known several Instances, two of which lately occurred, in the Neighbourhood of CHELSEA, of People dying from the Bites of Mad-dogs, without its having ever been ascertained, whether there was Hydrophobia. This leaves Room for Doubts, and wrong Conclusions, among those who are not acquainted, with all the Characteristics of the Disease; especially when the Power of swallowing Liquids, without much Difficulty, returns-as it did, in one of these two Cases, and also in that of young METCALFE. This Return of the Power of Swallowing, has never been noticed before; but I must observe, it is very common, after the Cessation of the Violence of the convulsive Struggling, spitting, and foaming at the Mouth, which usually happen, a little before the Patient dies *.

In the Cure of the Bite of a Mad-dog, the local Treatment may alone be depended on, when Recourse is had to proper Means, immediately after the Accident.

The injured Part must be destroyed, or be cut out. De

* In two Cases, stated by Dr. BARDSLEY, the Persons were able to swallow, with comparatively little Distress, just before their Death. A Patient of Dr. DICKSON's also swallowed Fluids, ten Minutes before he expired.

stroying it, is the most safe and certain; and the best Applications for that Purpose, are the Lapis Infernalis, and the Butter of Antimony. These are preferable to an hot Iron, which the ANTIENTS used; because an hot Iron forms a Crust, that acts as a Defence to the under Parts, instead of destroying them. The Lapis Infernalis, is much better than any other Caustic, as it melts and penetrates during its Application. The bitten part, must be destroyed to the Bottom; and where there is any Doubt, that the Bottom of the Wound, is not sufficiently reached, Butter of Antimony should be introduced, occasionally, as deep as possible; and Incisions should be made, if neces-sary, to lay open every part, to the Influence of the Caustic. In desperate Cases, Incisions should be made round the Wound, to prevent the Virus from spreading. The Wound is to be dressed for some time, with Poultices, to assuage the Inflammations caused by the Caustics; and afterwards with acrid Dressings, and hot Digestives, to create a Discharge, and drain the injured Parts. The most speedy, and effectual Method of destroying the Flesh, or of making an Opening, is, first to apply some Butter of Antimony; this must remain, until it causes a Vesication, or Corrosion of the Cuticle. Then the Lapis Infernalis, will soon occasion the Destruction, of all Organization withinan extensive Sphere of Action; by which, Insensibility, to the Operation of the Poison, is produced, and an Incapacity of diffusing it.

Whether animal Poison be distributed, by the Conveyance of the Solids, or of the Fluids, is a Question with many; but not with ME. For the Poison of some Serpents acts, in a few Minutes, so as to dissolve the Bond of Union, between these Elements, which constitute the human Frame, and extinguishes Life. Whereas, the Poison of a Mad Dog, will remain inactive in the Sys-

them, without any apparent, or perceptible Effect, even in the Part where it has been inserted, for many Weeks, and often for many Months.

The lymphatic Movement, is too slow, for one of these Operations, and too quick, for the other.

When the abovementioned Caustics, cannot be procured, Oil of Vitriol, Aqua Fortis, Spirit of Salt, Corrosive Sublimate, Common Caustic, Brine, a strong Solution of Common Salt, or a Plaster of Quick Lime and Soap, may be applied to the Wound. Gunpowder laid on the part, and fired, has been used with Success. A person bitten, remote from medical Assistance, will seldom be so circumstanced, as not to be able to obtain one or other, of the preceding Remedies. Should it so happen that he cannot, an hot Iron, is always soon to be procured. The Wound should be seared with that; which will be a temporary Arrest, to the Action of the Virus.

MERCURY, in the tardy Manner it has always been employed, is of no Use nor have any of the vaunted Compositions, imposed on MANKIND, ever produced Effects which could be depended on. People have taken them, and Hydrophobia has not appeared. So it is often, when no Medicine whatever, has been administered.

Where there has been no Remedy used, though the bitten Part be healed, and the Cicatrix shew no sign, of breaking open, or festering, it should be removed, by taking out the Part all round, deeper than the Wound originally was, with Butter of Antimony and Lapis Infernalis, in the Manner, already described.