The Dog

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The following observations and experiments respecting rabies, by Dr.
Hertwich, Professor at the Veterinary School at Berlin, are well worthy
of attention.

1. Out of fifty dogs that had been inoculated with virus taken from a
rabid animal of the same species, fourteen only were infected.

2. In the cases where inoculation had been practised without effect, no
reason could be assigned why the disease should not have taken place.
This consequently proves that the malady is similar to others of a
contagious nature, and that there must exist a predisposition in the
individual to receive the disease before it can occur. In one
experiment, a mastiff dog, aged four years, was inoculated without
exhibiting any symptoms of the malady, while seven others, who had been
inoculated at the same time and place, soon became rabid. Several of
these animals had been inoculated several times before any symptoms
showed themselves, while in others, on the contrary, once was
sufficient.

3. It appears that in a state of doubtful rabies, one or two accidental
or artificial inoculations are not sufficient to create a negative proof
of its existence.

4. This disease has never ben communicated to an individual from one
infected by means of the perspirable matter; this, therefore, is a proof
that the contagious part of the disease is not of a volatile nature.

5. It does not only exist in the saliva and the mucus of the mouth, but
likewise in the blood and the parenchyma of the salivary glands; but not
in the pulpy substance of the nerves.

6. The power of communicating infection is found to exist in all stages
of the confirmed disease, even twenty-four hours after the decease of
the rabid animal.

7. The morbid virus, when administered internally, appears to be
incapable of communicating this disease; inasmuch as of twenty dogs to
whom was given a certain quantity, not one exhibited the least symptom
of rabies.

8. The application of the saliva upon recent wounds appears to have been
as often succeeded by confirmed rabies as when the dog had been bitten
by a rabid animal.

9. It cannot now be doubled that the disease is produced by the wound
itself, as was supposed by M. Girard of Lyons, not by the fright of the
individual, according to the opinion of others, but only from the
absorption of the morbid virus from its surface.

10. Several experiments have proved to me the little reliance there is
to be placed on the opinions of Baden and Capello, who believe that, in
those dogs who become rabid after the bite of an animal previously
attacked with this disease, the contagious properties of the saliva is
not continued, but only exists in those primarily bitten.

11. During the period of incubation of the virus there are no morbid,
local, or general alterations of structure or function to be seen in the
infected animal; neither are there any vesicles to be perceived on the
inferior surface of the tongue, nor any previous symptoms which are
found in other contagious diseases.

12. This disease is generally at its height at the end of fifty days
after either artificial or accidental inoculation; and the author has
never known it to manifest itself at a later period.

13. It is quite an erroneous idea to suppose that dogs in a state of
health are enabled to distinguish, at first sight, a rabid animal,
inasmuch as they never refuse their food when mixed with the secretions
of those infected. [3]

The following singular trial respecting the death of a child by
hydrophobia is worth quoting:

'Jones v. Parry.'--The plaintiff is a labourer, who gets only fourteen
shillings a week to support himself and his family. The defendant is his
neighbour, and keeps a public-house. This was an action brought by the
plaintiff to recover damages against the defendant for the loss of his
son, who was bitten by the defendant's dog, and afterwards became
affected with rabies, of which disease he died.

It appeared in the evidence that the defendant's dog had, some time ago,
been bitten by another dog; in consequence of which this dog was tied in
the cellar, but the length of the rope which was allowed him enabled him
to go to a considerable distance. The plaintiff's child knew the dog,
having often played with him when he was at large. Some time ago the
child crossed the street, near to the place where the dog was fastened,
who rushed out of the place in which he was confined to where the child
stood, sprung upon him, and bit him sadly in the face, and afterwards
violently shook him. The child being thus wounded, a surgeon was sent
for, who, after having dressed him, and attended him for a certain time,
gave directions that he should be taken to the sea-side, and bathed in
the salt water.

This having been continued for some time, the child was brought home,
and, at the expiration of a month from the day on which he was bitten,
became evidently and strangely ill. The surgeon proved beyond all
shadow of doubt thai the child laboured under rabies; that he had the
never-failing symptoms of that dreadful affliction; and that a little
while before he expired, he even barked like a dog. The surgeon's charge
to the father for his attendance was'L1. 6s. 6d.', which, together with
the charge of the undertaker for the funeral of the child, amounted to
between six and seven pounds. Application was made to the defendant to
defray this expense, which at first he expressed a willingness to comply
with, but afterwards refused; upon which this action was brought.

After some time the defendant offered to pay the plaintiff the sum of
'L6. 3s. 6d.', and the expense of the funeral and the surgeon, provided
the plaintiff would bear the expenses of the lawsuit, which he was not
in a condition to do, as probably it would amount to more than that
money. On this account, therefore, the action was now brought into
court. There was no proof that the defendant knew or suspected his dog
to be mad, previously to his attacking the boy; but an animal known to
have been bitten by a mad dog, ought either to have been at once
destroyed, or so secured that it was impossible for him to do mischief.

Lord Kenyon observed to the jury, that this was one of those causes
which came home to the feelings of all, yet must not be carried farther
than justice demanded. A cause like this never, perhaps, before occurred
in a court of justice; but there had been many resembling it in point of
principle. If a dog, known to be ill-tempered and vicious, did any
person an injury without provocation, there could be no question that
the owner of the dog was answerable, in a court of justice, for the
injury inflicted. Here was a worse case. The dog by whom the child was
bitten had been attacked by another that was undeniably rabid. His
master was aware of this, and placed him in a state of partial
confinement--a confinement so lax, and so inefficient, that this poor
child had broken through it, and was bitten and died. What other people
would have done in such a situation he could not tell; but, if he were
asked what he would do, he answered, he certainly would kill the dog,
however much of a favourite he had been, because no atonement was within
the reach of his fortune to make to the injured party for such a
dreadful visitation of Providence as this. It was not enough for the
owner of such a dog to say, he took precaution to prevent mischief: he
ought to have made it impossible that mischief could happen; and,
therefore, as soon as there was any reasonable suspicion that the dog
was rabid, he ought to have destroyed him.

But, if the owner wished to save the animal, until he was satisfied of
the actual state of the case, he ought to have secured him, so that
every individual might be safe. Whether the defendant thought he had
done all that was necessary, his lordship did not know; but this he
knew, that the dog was not perfectly secured, otherwise this misfortune
could not have happened.

The care which the defendant took in this case was not enough, and,
therefore, he had no doubt that this action was maintainable. The jury
would judge what damages they ought to give. He would refer this to
their feelings. They could not avoid commiserating the distress of the
family of this poor man. He should, however, observe to the jury, that
they must not give vindictive damages; but still he did not think that
damages merely to the amount of 'L6'. or 'L7'., which was stated to be
the expense of the funeral, &c., would at all meet the justice of the
case. He was inclined to advise them to go beyond that, although he did
not plead vindictive damages. There would be costs to be defrayed by the
plaintiff, well known in the profession under the head of "extra costs,"
even although he had a verdict. If the verdict had been at his disposal,
he would have taken care that these costs should have been borne by the
party that had been the cause of the injury. That appeared to him to be
the justice of the case.

He trusted that none who heard him would doubt his sincerity, when he
said, he lamented the misfortune which had given birth to this action;
and, with that qualification of the case, he must say that he was not
sorry that this action had been brought. He thanked the plaintiff for
bringing it; for it might be of public benefit. It would teach a lesson
that would not soon be forgotten, "That a person, who knowingly keeps a
vicious, dangerous animal, should be considered to be answerable for all
the acts of that animal." There were instances in which very large
damages had been given to repair such injuries. He did not say that the
present case called for large damages; but, if other cases of the same
kind should be brought into court after this had been made public, he
hoped the jury would go beyond the ordinary limits, and give verdicts
which might operate 'in terrorem' on the offending parties.

Verdict for the plaintiff--damages L36. [4]

A child was bitten by a rabid dog at York, and became hydrophobous. All
possibility of relief having vanished, the parents, desirous of putting
an end to the agony of their child, or fearful of its doing mischief,
smothered it between two pillows. They were tried for murder, and found
guilty. They were afterwards pardoned; but the intention of the
prosecutor was that of deterring others from a similar practice, in a
like unfortunate situation [5].

In 1821, a physician, at Poissy, was sentenced to pay 8000 francs (L320)
to a poor widow whose husband died of hydrophobia, in consequence of a
bite from the physician's dog, he knowing that the dog had been bitten,
yet not confining him.

[Our author having written so extensively upon the subject of rabies, it
would seem superfluous in us to attempt to add anything more upon a
subject so ably and practically handled by one having so great
opportunities to make personal observations. However, to allay the
feelings of many of our dogkilling citizens, we will not hesitate to
assert that we do not place as much credence in the frequency of rabies
as is generally done; but, on the other hand, are strongly led to
believe that the accounts of this much-dreaded malady are greatly
exaggerated both in this country and in England.

That there may be a few cases of rabies in our country in the course of
a year, we do not doubt; but, at the same time, we are satisfied that
the affection in its genuine form is quite rare, and that the great hue
and cry made every season about mad dogs, is more the result of
ignorance and fright than of reality.

Our limits in this publication would not allow us sufficient space to
enlarge upon the many pathological questions naturally arising from a
minute examination of this subject, more particularly as our views are
somewhat at variance with the generally received opinion, and which, of
course, we would be forced to express with considerable diffidence,
owing to the impossibility of collecting such evidence as might seem
necessary to substantiate any peculiar doctrine.

That tetanus, hysteria, and other spasmodic affections have often been
mistaken for rabies, there is no doubt, and we can easily imagine the
mental effect produced upon an individual of a highly nervous
temperament, by the knowledge of his being bitten by an animal known to
be hydrophobic; and we can, without difficulty, reconcile with our best
judgment the belief 'that the workings of such an individual's
imagination, occasioned by the never-ceasing dread of the horrid malady
to which he is now exposed, might be sufficient to produce a train of
symptoms somewhat resembling the actual state of rabies.'

For the benefit of these nervous unfortunates, we might say to them,
that the statistics of this affection show a very considerable ratio in
favour of escape from inoculation when bitten, or of entire recovery
even after the development of the disease, and that there are many
other ills in the catalogue of medicine that they should take equal
pains to provide against as lyssa canina. We doubt not that the minds of
many will be relieved, when informed that John Hunter mentions an
instance, in which, out of twenty persons bitten by a rabid dog, only
one suffered from the malady; and that of fifty-nine dogs inoculated by
Professor Hertwick at the veterinary school of Berlin, only fourteen
were affected; and of eleven patients entrusted to the care of M. Blaise
of Cluny, seven recovered after exhibiting greater or less degrees of
spasmodic symptoms.

It may prove interesting to our readers, to insert in these pages an
account of the first two cases of rabies known in Philadelphia, and as
related to us by a venerable and much-esteemed citizen, who is well
known in the scientific world as a gentleman of deep research, and we
agree with him in opinion, that this much-dreaded disease is most
frequently the result of like causes, or rather that like symptoms often
induce the belief of the presence of this malady, when, in fact, no such
disease does exist.

Towards the close of the last century, there lived a tailor in Front
street, near Market, in the midst of the most respectable people of that
period; among the number was our esteemed friend Mr. Hembel, as also
Judge Tilghman. This tailor possessed an ill-tempered little spaniel,
who, lounging about the street-door, attacked every one that passed by,
snapping and snarling in the most worrisome manner, more particularly at
every little urchin that invaded his "right of pavement," and not
unfrequently biting them or tearing their clothes from their back. The
owner of the dog was appealed to on many occasions by the neighbours,
begging that the quarrelsome brute should either be disposed of or kept
within doors. To all these solicitations and warnings the little tailor
paid no heed, but continued stitching his breeches and cribbing his
customers' goods, while the ugly little spaniel, without interruption,
amused himself by snapping at and biting the heels of the passers-by.

The nuisance at last became insufferable, and Judge Tilghman applied to
Mr. Hembel to assist him in getting rid of this troublesome brute; the
latter gentleman advised the administration of a small quantity of
strychnia, concealed in a portion of meat, which proposition was agreed
upon and immediately carried into execution. A short time after the
administering of this dose the spaniel sickened, and retired from his
post to the kitchen, which was in the basement, and where an Irish
domestic was engaged in washing; the dog appeared uneasy for a time, and
suddenly, being taken with the involuntary muscular convulsions that
so frequently follow the administration of this powerful drug, ran
around the kitchen yelping and howling at a most terrible rate, and
ultimately, to the no small discomfiture and amazement of the maid,
sprang up into the wash-tub, at which unceremonious caper, on the part
of the dog, the woman became greatly alarmed and ran out into the
street, followed by the whole household, crying mad dog, which soon
produced an uproar in the neighbourhood, no one daring to satisfy
himself as to the correctness of the report, and all, perhaps, too
ignorant of the subject to discern the real cause of the animal's
singular behaviour. The tailor, still bearing a strong attachment to his
unfortunate favourite, and being somewhat more daring than his
neighbours, ventured, at length, to peep into the kitchen to see the
state of affairs, and seeing the dog still convulsed and foaming at the
mouth, was more than ever confirmed in the belief of hydrophobia, and
knowing full well the biting propensities of the animal, independent of
rabies, concluded, much to the relief of every one, to shoot him. The
next step in the programme was the dragging out and consigning of the
patient to a watery grave, which was accomplished by placing, with a
pair of tongs, a noose over the head of the animal, and thus hauling him
out of the basement window amid the cheers of the assembled populace who
soon cast him into the Delaware.

The second case of rabies as related to us by Mr. Hembel was as
follows:--In 1793 the barbers of the city were in the habit of going
around to the various boarding-houses for the purpose of shaving the
visitors in their apartments, instead of accommodating them, as at the
present time, in their own establishments.

One of these knights of the razor, living also in Front street, when
going to and from a fashionable boarding-house in the vicinity, was not
unfrequently assailed by a small cur who often took him by the heels
when hurrying along.

To get rid of this annoying little animal as speedily and secretly as
possible, he had recourse to the powers of strychnia, which produced in
a very short time similar effects upon the poor victim, and the result
was another great hue and cry about mad dogs.

These authentic and remarkable cases of hydrophobia were heralded in all
the papers of the day, which, from that time forward, were filled with
notes of caution to all dog-owners.

Of the 'treatment' of rabies we will make but a few remarks, as of the
immense number of specifics proposed for this disease, amounting in all
to several hundred, few or none can be relied on to the exclusion of the
others; but those medicines, perhaps, known as opiates or
anti-spasmodics, claim a larger share of attention than any others in
combating the disease after its development. In looking over the very
original works of Jacques Du Fouilloux, a worthy cynegetical writer of
the sixteenth century, we find a prescription that was supposed by many
to be an infallible specific for this disease, and as it appears to us
quite as certain in its effects on the animal economy as many others of
the inert substances that have been lauded to the skies both in our
country and in other parts of the world as antidotes, we take the
liberty of transcribing it, as also of adding a translation of his
quaint French.

'Autre recepte par mots preservants la rage.'

'Ay appris vne recepte d'vn Gentil-homme, en Bretaigne, lequel faisoit
de petits escriteaux, ou n'y auoit seulement que deux lignes, lesquels
il mettoit en vne omellette d'oeufs, puis les faisoit aualer aux chiens
qui auorient este mords de chiens enragez, et auoit dedans l'escriteau,
'Y Ran Quiran Cafram Cafratrem, Cafratrosque'. Lesquels mots disoit
estre singuliers pour empescher les chiens de la rage, mais quant a moi
ie n'y adiouste pas foy.

I have learned a recipe from a nobleman of Brittany, which is composed
of a written charm, in which there are only two lines; these he put in
an omelet of eggs, he then made the dogs that had been bitten by a rabid
animal swallow them. There was on the paper "'Y Ran Quiran Cafram
Cafratrem, Cafratrosque'". These words were said to be singularly
efficacious in preventing madness in dogs, but for my part I do not
credit it.

Although our quaint author considered the above charm even too
marvellous for his belief, we give below his own prescription in which
he placed implicit confidence, but, no doubt, on trial it would prove
'"as singularly efficacious" as the other'.

Baing pour lauer, les chiens, quand ils ont este mords des chiens
enragez, de peur qu'ils enragent.

Quand les chiens sont mords ou desbrayez de chiens enragez, il faut
incontinent emplir vne pippe d'eau, puis prendre quatre boisseaux de sel
et les ietter dedans, en meslaut fort le sel auec vn baston pour le
faire fondre soudainement: et quand il sera fondu, faut mettre le chien
dedans, et le plonger tout, sans qu'il paroisse rien, par neuf fois:
puis quand il sera bien laue, faut le laisser aller, cela l'empeschera
d'enrager.

When a dog has been bitten or scratched by another affected with
madness, we must immediately take a tub of water and throw into it four
bushels of salt, stirring it briskly with a stick to make it dissolve
quickly. When the salt shall be dissolved, put the dog into the bath,
and plunge him well nine times, so that the bath shall cover him each
time; now that he is well washed you may let him go, as this will
prevent his becoming rabid.

Having given publicity to the two preceding valuable receipts, we must
be pardoned for adding our own views upon this point, as a caution to
those who may not feel sufficient faith in the remedies above mentioned.

The wound should be thoroughly washed and cleansed as soon as possible
after the bite is inflicted: no sucking of the parts, as is advised by
many, for the purpose of extracting the poison, as the presence of a
small abrasion of the lips or interior of the mouth would most assuredly
subject the parts to inoculation. If the wound be ragged, the edges may
be taken off with a pair of sharp scissors; the wound must then be
thoroughly cauterized with nitrate of silver (lunar caustic), being sure
to introduce the caustic into the very depths of the wound, so that it
will reach every particle of poison that may have insinuated itself into
the flesh. If the wound is too small to admit of the stick of caustic,
it may be enlarged by the knife, taking care, however, not to carry the
poison into the fresh cut, which can be avoided by wiping the knife at
each incision. Should the wound be made on any of the limbs, a bandage
may be placed around it during the application of these remedies, the
more effectually to prevent the absorption of the virus. Nitrate of
silver is a most powerful neutralizer of specific poisons, and the
affected parts will soon come away with the slough, no dressings being
necessary, except perhaps olive oil, if there should be much
inflammation of the parts. If the above plan be pursued, the patient
need be under no apprehension as to the result, but make his mind
perfectly easy on the point. This is the course generally pursued by the
veterinary surgeons of Europe, and there are but few of them who have not,
some time in their practice, been bitten and often severely lacerated by
rabid animals; nevertheless, we never hear of their having suffered any
bad effects from such accidents. If caustic be not at hand, the wound
may be seared over with red-hot iron, which will answer as good a
purpose, although much more painful in its operation. Mr. Blaine, in
closing his able and scientific article on this subject, very justly
remarks,

"Would I could instil into such minds the 'uncertainty' of the disease
appearing at all; that is, even when no means have been used; and the
'perfect security' they may feel who have submitted to the preventive
treatment detailed. I have been bitten several times, Mr. Youatt
several also; yet in neither of us was any dread occasioned: our
experience taught us the 'absolute certainty' of the 'preventive'
means; and such I take on me to pronounce they always prove, when
performed with dexterity and judgment." We acknowledge ourselves a
convert to this gentleman's doctrine; and feel satisfied that if the
above course be adopted, there need be no fear whatever of the
development of this frightful affection.--L.]

[Footnote 1: 'La Folie des Animaux', by M. Perquin.]

[Footnote 2: The physician Apollonius, having been bitten by a rabid
dog, induced another dog to lick the wound,

"ut idem medicus esset qui vulneris auctor fuit."]

[Footnote 3: 'Journal Pratique de Med. Vet.']

[Footnote 4: 'Sporting Magazine', vol. xviii. p. 186.]

[Footnote 5: Daniel's 'Rural Sports', vol. i. p. 220.]

* * * * *

CHAPTER VIII.

THE EYE AND ITS DISEASES.

The diseases that attack the same organ are essentially different, in
different animals, in their symptoms, intensity, progress, and mode of
treatment. In periodic ophthalmia--that pest of the equine race and
opprobrium of the veterinary profession--the cornea becomes suddenly
opaque, the iris pale, the aqueous humour turbid, the capsule of the
lens cloudy, and blindness is the result. After a time, however, the
cornea clears up, and becomes as bright as ever; but the lens continues
impervious to light, and vision is lost.

Ophthalmia in the dog presents us with symptoms altogether different.
The conjunctiva is red; that portion of it which spreads over the
sclerotica is highly injected, and the cornea is opaque. As the disease
proceeds, and even at a very early period of its progress, an ulcer
appears on the centre; at first superficial, but enlarging and deepening
until it has penetrated the cornea, and the aqueous humour has escaped.
Granulations then spring from the edges of the ulcer, rapidly enlarge,
and protrude through the lids. Under proper treatment, however, or by a
process of nature, these granulations cease to sprout; they begin to
disappear; the ulcer diminishes; it heals; scarcely a trace of it can be
seen; the cornea recovers its perfect transparency, and vision is not in
the slightest degree impaired.