A compleat discourse of wounds, both in general and particular whereunto are added the severall fractures of the skull, with their variety of figures : as also a treatise of gunshot-wounds in general / collected and reduced into a new method by John Brown ...

CHAP. XV.

Of Wounds made by the Biting of mad Dogs.

WE arrive now at such Wounds as do happen by the Biting of mad Dogs, and of other venomous creatures: and although other creatures, as Wolves, Cats, Foxes, and the like, may be mad; yet most who have writ of this subject do give the first denomination to the Dog, as Antiochus, Paulus Aegineta, Oribasius, Cornelius Celsus, and others. The generall repute of the Biting of Animalls is allowed to come under a double difference; for some are venenate in their proper nature, and others are less venenate. Those are reputed venenate, which are lodged in venenate and virulent Beasts; and amongst these are reckoned the mad Dog, Serpents, Adders, Scorpions, Basilisks, Vipers, Wasps, and the like. Others are said to be less venenate, which have not in them this virulent spirit; of which sort may be reckoned Man, a Dog that

is tame, a Monkey, Horses, Swine, and the like. The Signs of either do declare their nature. Those which are venomous are most dangerous, and great care not be∣ing had, they do commit their Venome to some noble Part, and there implanting the poyson, do soon cause a speedy Death. Gordonius reporteth, that the Biting of a mad Dog is most dangerous; for although the Patient do not feel it at present, yet this lurking Poyson some while after makes its appearance. I have read of a Boy, who being bit by a mad Dog, and being well after it for six weeks, after this died of the Bite he received.

Seeing the danger is great, and how it aims at the Principalls of life, let us consult a while the reason of this Poyson, and how it does communicate it self. Read tells us it is communicated these two waies; by Biting and Slaver, and by Slaver without Biting. This is sometimes received by the thick Skin of any Part. And this Mat∣thaeus makes good, Cons. 82. where he affirms of one putting his hand into a mad Dog's mouth, that within few daies after he became mad himself. It sooner seizeth on some Parts then on others, and is also more readily taken by some Persons then others. For it hath shewn its rage in some speedily, whilst in others it hath had ma∣ny daies and weeks to act its envy and malicious terrour. And hence may we collect, that this Spittle is pernicious which is contained in the Mouth, and thus agitated, ren∣dred and elaborated into the form of Froath, the which does carry an acrimony and venenosity with it, by reason of Choler which moves it, and this Tyrant does make this ebullition; the which being once made, is sent into the Wounds by the Teeth; by which impression it is carried into the Body and its circumstantiall Parts; the which if they happen to be nervous, these are presently stimula∣ted by the venenosity of the Humour, and hereby oft∣times a Spasm and Convulsive motions are created. If it enters either the Veins or Arteries, it speedily doth send

its venenate Vapour through these to the Heart, and doth there tyrannize, stirring up Fevers, and exciting Syncope's, sometimes running the Part into a Gangrene and Sphace∣lus, by overcoming the naturall Heat by its venomous ex∣traneous spirit.

Now as touching the knowledge of the Dog, whether mad or not, you may well guess at it by the Wound: for, as Avicen and Rhasis write, if we rub the Wound with a piece of Bread, so as it may suck up the Bloud and Matter which cometh out of the Wound, this being offered to a Dog, if he refuse to eat it, or to smell to it, it declares much of the Dog's being mad. Let these Signs serve for Madness confirmed; the Patient becomes * 1.1troublesome, and foameth at his Mouth, he hateth water and all liquid things, these being the cause and occasion of his Madness, his Pulse is small and inordinate, his Members dull and heavy, his Voice hoarse, and his Brea∣thing difficult. If he dies of his Bite, he is troubled with Syncope's, and a little before his departure you will meet him Convulsive.

* 1.2 As to the Cure, these Intentions are here chiefly requi∣red. First, to expell the Poyson from the Wound, then to strengthen the principall Parts, and defend them from it, and then to overthrow its malignity. The first is to be performed by Alexipharmick Defensatives, the which should contain in them Bol. Armen. Terr. Sigillat. Sang. * 1.3Dracon. an. ʒij. Pulv. Rut. Scord. Salv. Absinth. an. ʒj. Farin. Fabar. ℥ij. Hord. ℥j. cum Album. Ovor. fiat De∣fensativum: or this; ℞ Spir. Vini rectificat. ℥ij. Succ. * 1.4Rut. ℥j. Extr. Scord. Theriac. an. ʒij. C. C. ust. & praeparat. Bol. Armen. an. ʒj. Lap. Bezoard. ℈j. misce, fiat Emplast. An Oyl for the same: ℞ Ol. Lumbricor. Flor. Slotan. * 1.5an. ℥j. Spir. Vini ℥ij. Theriac. ʒj. misce. And over these apply this Cataplasme: ℞ Farin. Fabar. ℥jv. Pulv. Sem. * 1.6Cydonior. ℥ss. coquantur in aqua, cum pauc. Ol. Lumbricor. tunc adde Pulv. Fl. Chamomel. Melilot. Rosar. rubr. an. ℥j.

misce, fiat Cataplasma, sub finem addendo Croc. ℈ss. If these work not to any effect, apply Cupping-glasses and Ventoses to the grieved Part, with much flame; and make good Scarification: and if you cannot here well use a Cupping-glass, yet you may scarify and wash the Incisions with Spirit of wine wherein hath been dissolved Treacle, or Oxycrate warm, or the like; and then in o∣ther cases may you use Chickens, Rabbets, Pidgeons, Whelps, or the like, cut in the middle, and so applied hot to the Parts, these having power enough in them to * 1.7call forth the Poyson. These following Emplasters are very beneficiall in these cases. ℞ Caepar. aliquantul. coct. sub prun. Ferment. Farin. Sinap. an. ℥j. Theriac. Andro∣mach. ℥ss. Fol. Rut. Scord. an. mss. misce in Mortario, ad∣dendo parum Mell. fiat Empl. Fallopius does much com∣mend * 1.8this: ℞ Pic. naval. ℥j. Sal. Nitr. ℥ss. Sem. Sinap. ʒij. Caepar. Allii sub prun. coct. an. ʒiij. Assaefoetid. Sagapen. an. ʒij. Stercor. Columb. ʒjss. Aristoloch. rot. Dictamn. Cretens. * 1.9an. ʒj. Ol. Lilior. alb. ℥ss. misce pro Empl. Or this; ℞ Gal∣ban. Sagapen. Opopanac. Assaefoetid. Myrrh. Piper. Sulphur. an. ℥ss. Stercor. Columbin. Caprar. Anat. an. ℥jss. Calaminth. Mentastr. an. ℥ss. solventur Gummi in Vino, his addendo Mel. opt. q. s. pro Emplast. These are to be used while the whole Poyson is extracted. Phlebotomy here is al∣together useless, for this does rather adde then extinguish the Flame: neither is Purging proper in the beginning. Keep the Wound open at least for forty daies: if it be but small, dilate it, for the more ready discharge of this venenate Matter. Endeavour to strengthen the Parts in∣wardly by prescribing a drachm or two of Mithridate in a morning, Venice-Treacle, Orviatan, Elixar proprietatis, this in ten or twelve drops; or by giving your Patient of Pil. Ruff. or Electuar. de Ov. ℈j. in a morning. In Bi∣tings which are less venomous, we may apply hot Oyl of Elder, the Yolk of an egg mixed with some Butter and Saffron to ease pain, and over these this Cataplasme:

℞ Rad. Alth. Malv. Violar. Absinth. an. m. j. coquantur in * 1.10vino & aqua, colaturae adde Pulv. fl. Chamomel. Melilot. Rosar. rubr. Farin. Tritic. an. ℥j. his addendo Vitell. Ov. no. j. Croc. ℈j. Ol. Rosar. Chamomel. an. q. s. fiat Cataplasma. After these we must come to Suppuratives, because of the Contusion; and for this Use Basilicon and Fuscum, or my former Digestive are proper. Then to deterge, fill up with Flesh, and skin the Wound. Fabritius Hildanus is very plentifull in Histories of these sorts of Wounds, to whom I commend you, and shall conclude with these Histories, which are both rare and strange.

* 1.11 Fracastorius writes of a Lad, who after eight months having been bitten by a mad Dog, the Poyson began to appear, and then it vanished; in the interim there was not any Fever perceived, or any other ill Symptom ap∣peared. The Patient not understanding where this and how perniciously it lodged, it at length made way to his Heart; the which when it had seized, it there fixed its most implacable impresses of sorrow and pain, so as he could neither stand, goe, or lie in quiet, but like one distracted steered a very disorderly course, growing very thirsty: and that which heightned and added to the mis∣chief, he could not endure the sight of any liquid things, and had rather yield to death then to take any Cordialls or Juleps, were they never so advantageous. Hence did arise a foaming at his mouth, his eyes being strangely fix∣ed; and within a few daies after these direfull Symptoms made him yield to the grave.

* 1.12 Cardanus, 9. Tract. 5. lib. 2. writes of Alexander Bras∣caeus, who was bitten by a mad Dog, and having many Physicians in Consultation, they enquiring the cause hereof, found that he had kissed a mad Dog; and the day following, as they presaged, he died. Hence therefore may we see, that the Spittle of a mad Dog is the worst of Poysons; for being thus inwardly taken by a Kiss, the Dog did bite him, upon which Bite he died. Nico∣laus

writes, that the Son of a Painter in Venice being bit∣ten by a mad Dog, and cured by his Physicians, had not the signs of one bitten by a mad Dog until eight months after. And Amatus Lusitanus, Cent. 7. testifieth, that he saw a man of Thessalonica, the third year after his being bitten with a mad Dog, to have run mad himself.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Signs of a mad Dog's Bite.
• * 1.2

  Cure.
• * 1.3

  Defensative.
• * 1.4

  Emplast.
• * 1.5

  Oyl.
• * 1.6

  Catapl.
• * 1.7

  Emplast.
• * 1.8

  Another.
• * 1.9

  Another.
• * 1.10

  Catapl.
• * 1.11

  History.
• * 1.12

  Another.