13.Nam venenum serpentis, ut quaedam etiam venatoria venena, quibus Galli præcipue utuntur non gusto, sed in vulnere nocent. Ergo quisquis, exemplum Psylli secutus, it vulnus exsuxerit, et ipse tutus erit, et tutum hominem præstabit. Medicin. lib. v. c. 27.
13.Nam venenum serpentis, ut quaedam etiam venatoria venena, quibus Galli præcipue utuntur non gusto, sed in vulnere nocent. Ergo quisquis, exemplum Psylli secutus, it vulnus exsuxerit, et ipse tutus erit, et tutum hominem præstabit. Medicin. lib. v. c. 27.
Without any farther preface, I shall proceed to give the immediate remedies for such unfortunate accidents as happen by the bite of these animals.
The poison from this venomous beast, is more deadly than any other of the serpentine tribe. If its venom by a wound is infused into the blood, a mortification, and speedy death must follow.
The part bit, should immediately be suckedwith the mouth, either of the patient itself, or one who will risk himself to be so much the friend of the wounded. Dr. Mead has recommended, that oil should be held in the mouth all the time of sucking, but we have it from good authority, that the spittle itself is an antidote to that kind of poison.
It is needless to say, that the person who sucks the poison, should frequently spit out, as not to run the risk of swallowing it; and care should be taken, that his mouth is free from sores, or wounds.
When this is performed for a quarter of an hour, the part should be dressed withmercurial ointment(P). Sweet oil is much recommended, and may be plentifully used as an embrocation to the inflamed part; particularly if the oil is impregnated with camphor.
Take oil(C)two ounces; camphor, one scruple; mercurial ointment, one drachm; mix it.
The patient should take a vomit ofipecacuanha(S)one scruple; and a few drops of the essentialoilofpeppermint(U), on a lump of sugar, and dissolved in water, which should be repeated after the operation of the vomit as often as occasion requires. The fat of a rattle snake, is accounted a sovereign specific, if applied immediately to the woundedpart, and the patient drinking a decoction made ofsnakeroot.
The same remedy here recommended to the bite of a rattle snake, (namely, sucking the fresh made wound) is also recommended to all other venomous bites. Theviper, theadder, thesantapeaorscolopandra, thescorpion,tarantula, &c.
That oil is an antidote, (or as we may say a poison) to all these venomous animals is evident from their expiring in great agony, when oil is poured on them; but whether this effect is because of the penetration it has on their bodies, or annihilating their poison, is as yet undetermined.
I was once told a secret for the sting of a scorpion, avered to have been experienced, by a commander of a ship, trading to the bay of Honduras, viz. that the part stung by a scorpion should be touched with the glans of the penis, which would immediately draw out the poison, without effecting the glans that touched it; and it differs not, whether the patient himself or any other person does it.——If there is any virtue in this, I own it is beyond my comprehension.——I thought proper however to mention it, though I cannot advise it as a safe experiment, unless farther confirmed by those who have actually experienced it.
I have however a great opinion of mercurialsin such exigencies; and would advise recourse to be had to it immediately, both external as well as internal; this we are at least assured of, it cannot be attended with danger.
There are many surprizing things in nature, in so much, that ocular demonstration can only convince us of their existence. Amongst those wonderful phenomenons, the direful effect of the bite of a mad dog is equally astonishing as it is melancholy.
That dogs and wolves are more liable to madness of this kind, called theRabies, is because of their deficiency of external perspiration; and are obliged to supply that defect with their open mouth and their lolling-out the tongue; whence their blood is subject to become overheated, and thence generate a malignant inflammation, which infects the saliva with this direful poison. But the astonishment is, why it should have so very powerful a contagion as to infect the mass of blood of every animal that receivesthe least atom of it? Yet so it is, confirmed by sad experience.
From frequent observation we are able however to communicate such signs, which attend the symptoms of madness in a dog, whereby we may the better avoid the danger of being plunged into the most deplorable misery by this wretched animal.
The dog with symptoms of madness evidently discovers a malignant fever; he runs confusedly forwards; the tongue hangs out of the mouth with much slabber; his head hangs downwards; his eyes look dull and heavy; his tail is drawn up between his legs; and in every respect he has all the sign of confused wildness and pain; he runs confusedly forward, and snaps about him without distinction of persons or fear. He is always restless; will neither eat nor drink; and is terrified at the sight of water; the tongue hanging out of his mouth, grows black; and at last expires a spectacle of horror, unless the poor beast is put out of his misery, and thereby many dreadful consequences prevented.
The Effect of the Bite of a mad Dog.
So subtile is this fatal poison, that the symptoms do not appear immediately; but the part bitten will sometimes even heal up, the same as any other wound; and two, four, or six months after the injury, the symptoms of the malady will appear and gradually reduce the patient to the most deplorable state in nature.
The first symptoms of the disease are, a pain in the part where he was bit, which gradually spreads all around; the whole body in general is attended with a dull heavy pain, a lassitude and weariness. The mind grows depressed and anxious, together with a loss of appetite and a nausea at the stomach; and, in particular, a difficulty of swallowing, sore throat, and accumulation of spittle.
Soon these symptoms encrease. The peculiar soreness of the throat, which renders the swallowing liquids very painful, begins to create the utmost horror and dread of every thing that is liquid; and this first gives rise to theHydrophobia, or dread of water, which compleats the patient’s misery in this terrible disorder.
The eyes become full and staring, the face bloated, florid intermixed with lividness; the mind is impaired; rage, lust and mischief, agitates the confused will; at length,convulsions, foaming of the mouth, priapisms, and seminal emissions, barking, howling, and endeavouring to bite every thing near, ends the wretched life of the most deplorable object in nature.
With respect to the remedies, we have had many delivered to us; but few indeed with success. Before I enter on the best method that I know, by experiment, to recommend, I must beg leave to mention a peculiar successful instance, in the course of my practice, in this deplorable case.
A mad dog on shore, in the West-Indies, bit two men, one belonged to my ship’s crew, the other to a ship in the same harbour; both were bit in the calf of the leg. It happened that the surgeon of the other ship and myself were immediately at hand at the time of the accident. I was for cutting the part bitten fairly out without delay; to which the man of my ship readily contented; and it was done accordingly upon the spot, having fortunately my pocket instruments about me. But this operation was not approved of by Mr. E——; nor suited it the timidity of the man belonging to his care; it was therefore omitted.
When I had performed the operation, viz. (as near as I can guess) I cut more than an ounce and a half of flesh out of the gastrocnemius muscle (every whereround the bitten part) I spread a pledget with basilicon, mixed with precipitate, and laid it on the wound, having first let it bleed, perhaps six or eight ounces; over the pledget I laid plenty of dry lint; and when he was carried on board, I fomented it with spirits of wine and camphor, in whichsublimate mercurywas dissolved (about one grain to about four ounces of the spirit). Inwardly I gave him one grain of calomel every morning and night for at least a fortnight. The sore I continued to dress with mercurial ointment; which within a month healed up perfectly sound. From the mercurial treatment, the patient had a small ptyalism, which I checked by gentle cathartics. My patient, by this severe, though efficacious method, recovered perfectly well, and remained so at least three months after the accident, when we parted. The other unfortunate man, however, had not so good luck; for, as I was afterwards informed (the ship going soon to sea after the accident) the unhappy sufferer died a horrible object, raving mad in thehydrophobia.
Mercury is certainly the greatest antacrid we have; and I am firmly of opinion, that in this case it is the most powerful of any medicine that is yet known.
The cold bath is strenuously recommended by Dr. Mead; and since his recommending it,is generally practised on suspicion of this misfortune; but in real cases, very seldom with the wished-for success. Yet, Reason says much in its favour, and should by all means be had recourse to. Others have recommended strong salt brine, which also is not to be rejected.
Before I lay down the method to be observed, I shall first give Dr. Mead’s recipe in his own words.
“Let the patient be blooded at the arm nine or ten ounces. Take of the herb called in Latin,lichen cinereus terrestris; in Englishash-coloured ground liverwort, cleaned, dried, and powdered half an ounce. Ofblack pepper powdered, two drachmes, mix these well together, and divide the powder into four doses, one of which must be taken every morning fasting, for four mornings successively in half a pint of cow’s milk warm. After these four doses are taken, the patient must go into the cold bath, or a cold spring, or river, every morning fasting for a month: he must be dipt all over, but not stay in (with his head above water) longer than half a minute, if the water be very cold. After this he must go in three times a week a fortnight longer.”
But to speak my real sentiments, I have no great opinion of this recipe; yet as other methods may be pursued along with it, I thought proper to insert it, as in a malady ofthis consequence, nothing should be left undone that is practicable with propriety.
Celsus I think was the first who recommended cold bathing[14]; but indeed to a degree of drowning and reviving the patient again alternately. In the mania itself, it carries much reason with it in this miserable extremity, for the poor wretch at the eve of expiring, a spectacle of horror, may as well run the risque of drowning; and besides, the shock that plunging gives to the whole system, may probably work an alteration in the malignant habit.—But alas! when the hydrophobia has actually commenced; Death, and death only—can give relief! Yet let it ever be a maxim, (and especially with a seaman)neverto forsakehope; fordespairis only a punishment reserved for the damned. I repeat it; no means should be left untried, that has the least prospect of recovery.
14.Unicum remedium est, nec opinantem in piscinam non ante ei provisam projicere, et, si natandi scientiam non habet, modo mersum bibere pati, modo attollere; si habet, interdum deprimere, ut invitus quoque aqua satietur: sic enim simul et sitis, et aquæ metus tollitur. Lib. v. cap. 27.
14.Unicum remedium est, nec opinantem in piscinam non ante ei provisam projicere, et, si natandi scientiam non habet, modo mersum bibere pati, modo attollere; si habet, interdum deprimere, ut invitus quoque aqua satietur: sic enim simul et sitis, et aquæ metus tollitur. Lib. v. cap. 27.
But to avoid being tedious, I will proceed to the method I would have pursued in an accident of that terrible kind.
If you by the before description find that the dog who gave the wound is actually mad, then without a moment’s delay let the piecebit, be cut fairly out; if that is not practicable, apply immediately the ointment made ofmercurial ointmentandprecipitate, No.XXI. Over which applymercurial plaister. Give one of the pills No.X. every morning and night, and continue this course for a whole month. Let the plaister remain on the place a good while after the sore is healed up.
This method I pursued with a gentleman, and a little boy in New-York, who both were bit by the same dog, without provocation, the dog having never attempted the like before; upon which he was immediately shot, and was found to have all the signs of madness.——The accident happened at noon, and I was immediately sent for; but not being in the way, my assistant dressed it with basilicon, and laid over it a compress withspirit of wine and Camphor, supposing it of no consequence, as the wound was but very small. But on my hearing of it in the evening, I went that moment to their assistance, removed the dressing and applied what I have before mentioned.
I was not mistaken, for the sore and all around, after some time grew angry, and had an unfavourable appearance; but with diligent attendance gradually became better.—— The little boy was bit deeper than the gentleman; His wounds were on both sides of thetendo achillis: But the gentleman’s wound was alittle above themaleolus externuson the right leg, inclining to thetendo achillis.
It was in the month of July—I ordered bathing every morning and night, which suited the season. In the mean time, during three months, I gave one grain of calomel every morning and night; and every thing succeeded to our wishes.
But to return; should the mercurial medicines go to the mouth, a gentle cathartic will divert this, for I am an utter enemy to salivation. If however these remedies are administered too late, so that, notwithstanding all those applications, the patient should grow melancholy, have a difficulty in breathing, and a sore throat; but especially a pain in the sore, or bitten part, recourse should be had to frequent cold bathing, or rather plunging; mercurials should be continued, and every method pursued as will be advised in the putrid malignant fevers.
Should the patient however be seized with madness, care should be taken that those about him have no wounds where the least of his spittle may be introduced; and that the deplorable patient is rendered incapable to make any wounds or mischief on himself, or those who attend him; as he will be apt to snap and bite about him like a dog. He should be sewed up in a hammock, to which his arms should also be confined: in this methodhe may, by help of a tackle, be plunged up and down in the sea, but not his head under water. This is far superior to the unnatural and cruel way of smothering with beds, where the patient has no chance at all left.
The subject is melancholy; but, willing to contribute all the relief in my power to the distressed, I have been insensibly led on; and summed up all that might promise success. Innumerable are the remedies delivered to us, but few prove successful if the case be real.
Of all, I never knew any meet with better success than where mercury was concerned; and as I have been so fortunate as to have experienced the exalted virtue of that great medicine, in this and other deplorable cases, I stand so much upon the firmer grounds, to recommend it beyond any other medicine that I am acquainted with at present.
To conclude, I think it requisite to observe, that, dreadful as the bite of a mad dog is, when the poison has infected the unfortunate patient, yet this unlucky accident happens much seldomer, than mankind from the dread of the misfortune, are apt to apprehend it does. Many nostrums are published as specifics, and their virtue artfully confirmed, with cases of being bit by dogs, that had however not the least symptom of madness; andthence cures enumerated, that could have no foundation on reality; by which artifices much mischief has been done in real cases. Due observance should therefore be had to the state of the dog that has given the wound, and the circumstances attending; that either the patient may not be brought into unnecessary pain, or that proper and substantial remedies may not be neglected.