fatal consequences," (viz. pestilential carbuncle with ma lignant fever.)*

The author having satisfied his own mind, that no morbid animal poison is communicable to man, proceeds next to mention five or six cases of persons who were bitten by dogs, suffering so much mental agitation, as actually to believe they were affected with hydrophobia, though all their symptoms left them, when their minds were made. easy on the subject. He dwells particularly upon the case of a Mr. Castleman, of Camberwell, who having been bitten by a dog apparently mad, was so alarmed as to fancy he had the disease, when none existed. He says, p. 24, "The painful sufferings of Mr. Castleman, which he endured uninterruptedly for three or four years, and his great partiality for dogs and sporting, have induced him to pay great. attention to the diseases of the canine species, and in no stage of madness in dogs could he perceive they ever refused water, or had any difficulty in swallowing; he declared it therefore to be his firm opinion, that dogs cannot convey any disease to the human race; he is further strengthened in his opinion, by his having been bitten twenty times at least by dogs in the same disease, without its ever producing mental or bodily complaints."

Here then terminates the evidence of facts Mr. Ma-ryan has to produce, to prove that hydrophobia is a disease of only a disordered imagination! Because six or eight cases have fallen under his notice of persons, who having been bitten by dogs supposed to be mad, have by the natural horror often excited in the strongest mind by the dread of this most tremendous disease, imagined themselves affected with the symptoms of it, when they really were not; for this reason, forsooth, there is no such disease as Hydrophobia!"

It is true, that many persons bitten by mad dogs, indeed the greatest number, are not affected with any disease, the saliva having been wiped off on the clothing through which the teeth often pass before they reach the flesh; some persons being more unsusceptible of this disease than others, as is the case with many in other complaints; the means made use of to destroy the virus on the bitten part, &c. will sufficiently account for the small proportion of those who have been bitten being ill in consequence.

Vide Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal, No. xxi. p. 23. (No. 137.)

E

But

But how does Mr. Maryan account for the multitude of instances from every quarter, attested by the most respectable authorities, of persons, who, subsequently to the bite of a rabid dog, have been affected with fever, an insuperable dread of swallowing, from the torture former attempts had occasioned, with agonising spasms, delirium, and death? Do all these symptoms arise from the horror excited by the bite of a dog? But in many instances, the patients have never referred their sufferings to this cause, and have altogether forgot their having received a bite. Dr. Clark of Nottingham, relates the case of a child, seven years and a half old, who was bitten, and died in the usual dreadful manner.* I beg leave to ask Mr. Maryan, is it from the effect of imagination that horses after having been bitten, have been violently affected, and died? That this has occurred is sufficiently known and authenticated.† An instance has come to my own knowledge, for the truth of which I can vouch, of the greater part of a flock of sheep having been bitten, becoming ill, and dying in consequence. And are these hysterical sheep, and hypochondriacal horses, so terrified at the idea of being affected with hydrophobia, as to fancy themselves ill, and to die? One argument of Mr. Maryan's is, dogs do not always. dislike water when mad; indeed, from his own experience, and that of his friend," Mr. Castleman, who had been a sportsman for these forty years, dogs never labour under the disease which is attributed to them, but will take water in preference to any thing else, to the last hour of their existence," therefore it is impossible they can communicate a disease, all the symptoms of which they do not suffer themselves. Now, granting this assertion to be correct, (which, by the way, it is not, according to the experience of many, though it may be so in the practice of Messrs. Castleman and Maryan), what is there so preposterous in the idea, that a disease communicated from an animal to man, should vary in its train of symptoms in the latter, from what appeared in the former? Do we not see that diseases communicated from one human subject to another, frequently run different courses? The mildest dis

tinct

Vide Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal, No. xxi. p. 131. +Vide in London Medical and Physical Journal, vol. xxiii. No. 181, Mr. Surr's account of five horses, which were seized with such severe symp toms in consequence of being bitten, as to die, or to render their being killed necessary,

tinct small-pox in one person, will frequently communicate by infection to another, the most violent and confluent kind. The slightest attack of scarlatina, with little fever, and no affection of the throat, will sometimes appear, when communicated to another, in the form of the most fatal scarlatina anginosa.

When persons bitten by mad dogs are brought to Mr. Maryan, he thus states the practice he adopts." Whenever I see a person who has been bitten by a mad dog, I inform him it is my belief that no infection can be communicated to him from the dog; but if he should think bathing in the sea, taking the Ormskirk medicine, or any thing that will satisfy his mind; if he can do that, there is no danger, for that the idea of a dog being capable of communicating madness to him, is erroneous; that the disease is only a mental one," &c. Happy would it be for mankind if Mr. Maryan could cure hydrophobia in this Way!

To soothe the tortured mind of a person bitten by a mad dog before the disease is come on, by endeavouring to persuade him that he will escape being affected by it, is rational and judicious; but when the symptoms of the disease have appeared, particularly if the patient do not attribute his complaints to the bite, what man in his senses would make use of Mr. Maryan's language!

Upon opening this pamphlet, I fully expected to have found that the author had compared the symptoms of bydrophobia with those of tetanus, and had endeavoured to point out their resemblance in many respects, and that he would have accounted for the hydrophobic symptoms, by supposing them to arise from the effects of the wound alone, and not from any specific virus. Considerable scope for ingenuity is afforded by this view of the subject, and some useful practical remarks might have been deduced from this comparative view of the two diseases; but, instead of this, Mr. M. has decided the matter in a simpler manner, by attributing all the symptoms of hydrophobia to hyphochondriasis and melancholia.

It would, Gentlemen, be insulting your readers, were I to aduce any of the numerous cases that have been published in your Journal, or in other books, to show the absurdity of this opinion, or to show that " exerting our energies," will no more cure hydrophobia, than it would stop the bleeding of a wounded carotid!

I leave it to your readers, to judge how far Mr. Maryan has proved TM the impossibility of the disease termed hydro

phobia

phobia being caused by the bite of any rabid animal." It is indeed a libel on the word proof, to apply it to conclusions drawn from premises so false as Mr. Maryan's are.

It appears to me to be a duty which medical men owe themselves and the public, to prevent the spreading of opinions which are in themselves evidently false, and which may be productive of bad consequences to Society. The circumstance of a book having been written to prove there is no danger in the bite of a mad dog, may be injurious by preventing many from using the proper precaution of confining dogs that appear ill, and of adopting the most approved preventive means, when any one has been bitten.

I am, &c.

May, 1810.

CENSOR.

OBSERVATIONS ON DISEASES OF THE BRAIN, WITH CASES AND DISSECTIONS.

By Mr. J. HowSHIP, Surgeon.

A Case in which Mercurial Excitement, instituted for the Removal of Venereal Complaints, was translated from the salivary Glands to the Brain, producing violent Attacks of Convulsion.

( In Continuation.)

J. COYLE, aged 30, private in the 82d regiment of foot,

was admitted into hospital, December 1, 1808, with inflammation and oedematous tumour of the prepuce, paraphymosis, and bubo. These complaints were severely painful; the tumefaction of the prepuce was such, as to produce constant uneasiness from its creating a sense of stricture and tightness around the penis, just behind the corona glandis. This state continued much in the same degree for about a week, when the effusion that had taken place in the cellular membrane of the prepuce suddenly increased to an alarming extent. Upon this account the prepuce was divided; a director was introduced within the edge of the preputium, upon the superior part of the penis. Upon the director a strait sharp pointed bistoury being passed up, the point was pushed through the integuments, and the instrument made to cut its way out The divided edges of the wound immediately separated to the extent of an inch,

and

and the livid colour which had for some time rendered the safety of the glans penis doubtful, very soon disappeared. The bubo had been fomented and poulticed for some days, when an opening was made, and a considerable quantity of matter let out.

Between the 1st and 13th of the month he had rubbed in four ounces of the strong mercurial ointment; on the 14th the frictions were suspended; not that the appearances of the disease were in the least degree altered for the better, but on account of the very severe state of excitement that had taken place in the salivary system. By this time the wound upon the prepuce had formed a spreading, painful, and highly inflamed chancrous sore. The opening in the bubo had increased to a very extensive ulcer, retaining its venereal characters.

From the 14th to the 24th, little was done; astringent gargles were frequently used. On the 25th, the swelling of the face and excessive soreness of the mouth were so nearly removed, that he was again ordered to rub in one drachm of the mercurial ointment every night. This treatment was continued up to the 17th of January following, when it became a question whether it would be right to persevere in the frictions, although the appearance of the ulcerations was by no means healthy.

The bubo had produced a very extensive ragged ulceration, the edges of the skin were livid, indurated, and disposed to turn inward upon the sore, while the surface of the ulcer exhibited a mass of forward granulation, without the least disposition to heal. The ulceration behind the glans was still increasing in extent, and at times was very painful.

With this state of the disease, the energies of the system were so much reduced, that the man was scarcely able to rise from his bed. The pulse also was so very weak and low, that it was with difficulty it could be perceived at the

wrist.

He was now, therefore, ordered the preparations of bark, the further use of mercury being postponed. Under this treatment the strength and constitutional powers improved daily, and the tonic plan was continued till the seventh of February, when he appeared to be very materially stronger and better in health, although still weakly. The Inspector of hospitals being at this time on his way through the district, he visited the hospital. A consultation was held upon this man's case, the result of which was, that he was again ordered to rub in one drachm of E 3 the