Never kill a dog supposed to be mad who has bitten either a child, or any one else, until it has, past all doubt, been ascertained whether he be really mad or not. He ought, of course, to be tied up; and be carefully watched, and be prevented the while from biting any one else. The dog by all means should be allowed to live at least for some weeks, as the fact of his remaining well will be the best guarantee that there is no fear of the bitten child having caught hydrophobia. There is a foolish prejudice abroad, that a dog, be he mad or not, who has bitten a person ought to be _immediately_ destroyed; that although the dog be not at the time mad, but should at a future period become so, the person who had been bitten when the dog was _not_ mad, would, when the dog became mad, have hydrophobia! It seems almost absurd to bring the subject forward; but the opinion is so very general and deep-rooted, that I think it well to declare that there is not the slightest foundation of truth in it, but that it is a ridiculous fallacy! A cat sometimes goes mad, and its bite may cause hydrophobia; indeed, the bite of a mad cat is more dangerous than the bite of a mad dog. A bite from a mad cat ought to be treated precisely in the same manner-namely, with the lunar-caustic--as for a mad dog. Hydrophobia was by our forefathers graphically called _water-fright_: it was well named, for the horror of swallowing water is, by an hydrophobic patient, most intense, and is _the_ leading symptom of this fell and incurable disease. A bite either from a dog or from a cat _who is not mad_, from a cat especially, is often venomous and difficult to heal. The best application is, _immediately_ to apply a large hot white bread poultice to the part, and to renew it every four hours; and, if there be much pain in the wound, to well foment the part, every time before applying the poultice, with a hot camomile and poppy-head fomentation. Scratches of a cat are best treated by smearing, and that freely and continuously for an hour, and then afterwards at longer intervals, fresh butter on the part affected. If fresh butter Be not at hand, fresh lard--that is to say, lard _without_ salt--will answer the purpose. If the pain of the scratch be very intense, foment the part affected with hot water, and then apply a hot white bread poultice, which should be frequently renewed. 297. _What are the best remedies in ease of a sting from either a bee or a wasp_?