Advice to the people in general, with regard to their health

by S. A. D. Tissot

Chapter XII.

Of the Bite of a mad Dog.

Sect. 188.

en may contract the particular and raging Symptom, which is very generally peculiar to this Disease from this Cause, and even without any Bite; but this happens very rarely indeed. It is properly a Distemper belonging to the canine Genus, consisting of the three Species of Dogs, Wolves, and Foxes, to whom only it seems inherent and natural; scarcely ever arising in other Animals, without its being inflicted by them. Whenever there occurs one of them who breeds it, he bites others, and thus the Poison, the Cause of this terrible Disease, is diffused. Other Animals besides the canine Species, and Men themselves being exposed to this Accident, do sometimes contract the Disease in all its Rage and Horror: though it is not to be supposed, that this is always an unfailing Consequence.

§ 189. If a Dog who used to be lively and active, becomes all at once moapish and morose; if he has an Aversion to eat; a particular and unusual Look about his Eyes; a Restlessness, which appears from his continually running to and fro, we may be apprehensive he is likely to prove mad; at which very Instant he ought to be tied up securely, that it may be in our Power to destroy him as soon as the Distemper is evident. Perhaps it might be even still safer to kill him at once.

Whenever the Malady is certain, the Symptoms heighten pretty soon. His Aversion to Food, but especially to Drink, grows stronger. He no longer seems to know his Master, the Sound of his Voice changes; he suffers no Person to handle or approach him; and bites those who attempt it. He quits his ordinary Habitation, marching on with his Head and his Tail hanging downwards; his Tongue lolling half out, and covered with Foam or Slaver, which indeed not seldom happens indifferently to all Dogs. Other Dogs scent him, not seldom at a considerable Distance, and fly him with an Air of Horror, which is a certain Indication of his Disease. Sometimes he contents himself with biting only those who happen to be near him: while at other Times becoming more enraged, he springs to the right and left on all Men and Animals about him. He hurries away with manifest Dread from whatever Waters occur to him: at length he falls down as spent and exhausted; sometimes he rises up again, and drags himself on for a little Time, commonly dying the third, or, at the latest, on the fourth Day after the manifest Appearance of the Disease, and sometimes even sooner.

§ 190. When a Person is bit by such a Dog, the Wound commonly heals up as readily, as if it was not in the least poisonous: but after the Expiration of a longer or shorter Term, from three Weeks to three Months; but most commonly in about six Weeks, the Person bitten begins to perceive, in the Spot that was bit, a certain dull obtuse Pain. The Scar of it swells, inflames, bursts open, and weeps out a sharp, fœtid, and sanious, or somewhat bloody Humour. At the same Time the Patient becomes sad and melancholy: he feels a kind of Indifference, Insensibility, and general Numbness; an almost incessant Coldness; a Difficulty of breathing; a continual Anguish, and Pains in his Bowels. His Pulse is weak and irregular, his sleep restless, turbid, and confused with Ravings; with starting up in Surprize, and with terrible Frights. His Discharges by Stool are often much altered and irregular, and small cold Sweats appear at very short Intervals. Sometimes there is also a slight Pain or Uneasiness in the Throat. Such is the first Degree of this Disease, and it is called by some Physicians the dumb Rage, or Madness.

§ 191. Its second Degree, the confirmed or downright Madness, is attended with the following Symptoms. The Patient is afflicted with a violent Thirst, and a Pain in drinking. Soon after this he avoids all Drink, but particularly Water, and within some Hours after, he even abhors it. This Horror becomes so violent, that the bringing Water near his Lips, or into his Sight, the very Name of it, or of any other Drink; the Sight of Objects, which, from their Transparence, have any Resemblance of Water, as a Looking Glass, &c. afflicts him with extreme Anguish, and sometimes even with Convulsions. They continue however still to swallow (though not without violent Difficulty) a little Meat or Bread, and sometimes a little Soup. Some even get down the liquid Medicines that are prescribed them, provided there be no Appearance of Water in them; or that Water is not mentioned to them, at the same Time. Their Urine becomes thick and high-coloured, and sometimes there is a Suppression or Stoppage of it. The Voice either grows hoarse, or is almost entirely abolished: but the Reports of the bitten barking like Dogs are ridiculous and superstitious Fictions, void of any Foundation; as well as many other Fable, that have been blended with the History of this Distemper. The Barking of Dogs however is very disagreeable to them. They are troubled with short Deliriums or Ravings, which are sometimes mixed with Fury. It is at such times that they spit all around them; that they attempt also to bite, and sometimes unhappily effect it. Their Looks are fixed, as it were, and somewhat furious, and their Visage frequently red. It is pretty common for these miserable Patients to be sensible of the Approach of their raging Fit, and to conjure the Bystanders to be upon their Guard. Many of them never have an Inclination to bite. The increasing Anguish and Pain they feel become inexpressible: they earnestly wish for Death; and some of them have even destroyed themselves, when they had the Means of effecting it.

§ 192. It is with the Spittle, and the Spittle only, that this dreadful Poison unites itself. And here it may be observed, 1, That if the Wounds have been made through any of the Patient's Cloaths, they are less dangerous than those inflicted immediately on the naked Skin. 2, That Animals who abound in Wool, or have very thick Hair, are often preserved from the mortal Impression of the Poison; because in these various Circumstances, the Cloaths, the Hair, or the Wool have wiped, or even dried up, the Slaver of their Teeth. 3, The Bites inflicted by an infected Animal, very soon after he has bitten many others, are less dangerous than the former Bites, because their Slaver is lessened or exhausted. 4, If the Bite happens in the Face, or in the Neck, the Danger is greater, and the Operation of the Venom is quicker too; by Reason the Spittle of the Person so bit is sooner infected. 5, The higher the Degree of the Disease is advanced, the Bites become proportionably more dangerous. From what I have just mentioned here it may be discerned, why, of many who have been bitten by the same Sufferer, some have been infected with this dreadful Disease, and others not.