The signs of madness in a dog are as follow: He becomes dull, solitary, and endeavours to hide himself: he seldom barks, but makes a kind of murmuring noise, and refuses all kinds of meat and drink: he is enraged at, and flies upon, strangers; but in this stage he remembers and respects his master: his ears and head hang down; he walks nodding, as if overpowered with sleep: this is the first stage; and _a bite_ now, though dangerous, is not so bad as afterwards. After these symptoms, the dog begins to pant; he breathes quick and heavy; hangs out his tongue, to emit a great deal of froth from his mouth, which he keeps perpetually open: sometimes he walks slowly, and as if half asleep, and then suddenly runs, but not always directly forward, as pretended: at length he forgets his master; his eyes look dispirited, dull, full of tears, and red; his tongue is of a lead colour, he grows faint and weak; oft reels, staggers, and falls; then rises suddenly, and attempts to fly at every thing, becoming now mad and furious: this second stage seldom continues thirty hours, death putting by that time an end to the disease: and a bite received during the last stage is justly considered incurable. To these distinguishing traits of the dreadful malady, may be added the following, which are believed certain and invariable. All other dogs are alarmed at the approach of a dog _really mad_, and, upon smelling him, not only _instantly_ avoid him, but run away with horror. The tone of the dog's voice when he barks, seems hoarse and hollow. In the dumb madness, if the dog is confined, he barks incessantly for a day or two.
Those who wish to go into a most ingenious and explanatory investigation of madness, and its _different kinds_ in dogs, will feel themselves highly gratified in a perusal of that part of MR. DANIEL'S "Rural Sports," who has systematically introduced the best and most judicious opinions and authorities upon the subject.
The disease occasioned by the bite of a mad dog is called HYDROPHOBIA; and the smallest quantity of his saliva, either _fresh_ or _dry_, will produce it. The infection frequently lies dormant for many months, and then displays itself with the greatest violence; but, in general, it appears from a month to six weeks, at the expiration of which, if no symptoms of disorder are perceptible, the patient is considered to be safe, and not to have received the infection. It has been thought by the best medical authority, that the nearer the place bitten is to the salivary glands, the sooner the symptoms appear; and this, by observation and experience, is now fully confirmed.