A Mechanical Account of Poisons in Several EssaysMead, Richard
Science
A Mechanical Account of Poisons in Several Essays
Mead, Richard
Poisons -- Early works to 1800; Venom -- Physiological effect -- Early works to 1800
From such Actions as these, together with those mentioned before in
relating the Symptoms, it is obvious enough to conclude, that Persons
thus affected are in a proper Sence _Delirous_. Tho’ at the same time I
do think that the _Hydrophobia_ it self (whatever is commonly believed)
does not at all proceed from this _Delirium_, as will by and by appear.
I know indeed that the main and plausible _Objection_ against a
_Delirium_ is this, that the Patient himself does Reason against his
Timorousness, tho’ he cannot overcome it, forewarns the Standers-by
of his Outrageous Fits, desires them to take care of themselves, and
the like. Which from what I have already said concerning a _Delirium_,
appears to be very consistent with it, nay, convinces that there is
the greatest Degree of it in this Case; in as much as that it is not a
Distemper of the Mind but of the Body. And to this purpose I remember
to have seen my self an Instance of one in a Fever, who foretold some
time before any signs of a _Delirium_ were discovered, how raving and
unruly He should be, and made good his _Prognostick_ to that degree,
that it was very hard Work to tame and master him; tho’, as he told me
afterwards, he reason’d as much as he could against that groundless
Jealousie of his Friends designing to Murder him, which put him upon
his Mad Actions, but was not able to Conquer the prevailing _Species_
of Fear and Anger.
This _Delirium_ therefore, as _Cælius Aurelianus_ (77) says, _Proceeds
intirely from an indisposition of the Body_, which is without all doubt
owing to the alteration made in the Blood by the _Saliva_ of the _Mad
Dog_, instill’d into the Wound inflicted by the Bite.
That we may rightly understand this, we must take Notice, that the
_Rabies_ or Madness in a Dog is the effect of a Violent Fever; and
therefore it is most common in excessive Hot Weather, tho’ sometimes
intense Cold maybe the Cause of it; That no Dog in this Case ever
sweats; from whence it follows, that when his Blood is in a Ferment,
it cannot, as in other Creatures, discharge it self upon the surface
of the Body, and therefore must of necessity throw out a great many
_Saline_ and Active Particles upon those Parts, where there is the most
constant and easie Secretion; and such, next to the _Miliary_ in the
Skin in Us, are the _Salival_ Glands; for this reason much more Spittle
is separated in a Dog when Mad, than at any other time, and that very
frothy, or impregnated with Hot, Subtil Parts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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