AS the disease among dogs falsely called hydrophobia has been so inefficiently attended to, I consider that the report of a case which has lately fallen within my knowledge, may not be unacceptable to your Magazine.
In the night of January, the 2d last, a strange dog came into my yard, and was fought and beaten away by one of the Newfoundland breed, whose duty it was to prevent intruders. Shortly after, I heard that a dog answering the description of the former had died, not before he had bitten several others of the neighbourhood. To anticipate the possibility of accident, I ordered mine to be chained up, and watched closely; and, as the French surgeons have reported that this disease never manifests itself after fifty days of supposed infection, and, as they seem to be more precise in the account of the disorder than our own practitioners in canine medicine, I took it for granted that, at the expiration of that time, danger no longer existed. He was allowed therefore to accompany me with my other dogs as usual, when I either walked or rode; and I was the more satisfied of the groundlessness of my former apprehensions, from the circumstance of his plunging into water whenever he had the opportunity. On the seventy-second day, however, there was remarked a trifling redness in his eyes; but this was so little heeded, that he walked out with the family, played his accustomed tricks, and fetched and carried stones from the river as heretofore. At this time also was remarked a certain degree of froth drivelling from his mouth. On this and the following day his appetite continued good as ever. On the seventy-fourth day he refused food, but drank some milk, the former symptoms continuing, and his tongue for the first time hanging out of his mouth. On the seventy-fifth day he refused meat, but swallowed some broth, which was the last aliment he took. On the seventy-sixth day he lapped water, which however he could not swallow. In the night he was supposed to have had a paroxysm, as there were appearances of violence about the place in which he was confined. On the seventy-seventh day, in the morning early, some of the servants patted and caressed him, of which attention now, and in similar cases during his illness, he appeared sensible, and seemed by a certain look to ask for relief. He was at this time a shocking object, his throat being exceedingly swelled, and his tongue, hanging a great way out of his mouth, being turned quite black; this was accompanied with profuse slaver. Shortly after a second fit came on, and he was destroyed. Among other symptoms worthy notice, it must be remarked, that his bowels had been in a state of costiveness from the seventy-second day; that during the whole illness he was never heard to howl once, but often barked when the accustomed hour of letting him loose arrived.
You perceive that the fear of water forms no part of this disease; that the experience of the fifty days of the French surgeons is utterly fallacious; and that the symptoms of this, being common to other maladies among dogs, are so insidious, as to render impossible too much caution in our attention towards an animal, whose domestic habits and fidelity contribute so much to our amusement and security.
I have the honour to remain, Sir, your very humble servant. A SUBSCRIBER. April 2, 1826.