Inflammation of the edges of the glottis, and particularly of the
membrane which covers its margin, is often seen, and accounts for the
harsh guttural breathing which frequently accompanies dumb madness. The
inflammatory blush of the larynx, though often existing in a very slight
degree, deserves considerable attention.
The appearances in the trachea are very uncertain. There is occasionally
the greatest intensity of inflammation through the whole of it; at other
times there is not the slightest appearance of it. There is the same
uncertainty with regard to the bronchial tubes and the lungs; but there
is no characteristic symptom or lesion in the lungs.
Great stress has been laid on the appearance of the heart; but,
generally speaking, in nine cases out of ten, the heart of the rabid dog
will exhibit no other symptoms of disease than an increased yet variable
deepness of colour in the lining membrane of the ventricles. No
dependence can be placed on any of the appearances of the oesophagus;
and, when they are at the worst, the inflammation occupies only a
portion of that tube.
With regard to the interior of the stomach, if the dog has been dead
only a few hours the true inflammatory blush will remain. If
four-and-twenty hours have elapsed, the bright red colour will have
changed to a darker red, or a violet or a brownish hue. In a few hours
after this, a process of corrosion will generally commence, and the
mucous membrane will be softened and rendered thinner, and, to a certain
extent, eaten through. The examiner, however, must not attribute that to
disease which is the natural process of the cession of life.
Much attention should be paid to the appearance of the stomach and its
contents. If it contains a strange mingled mass of hair, and hay, and
straw, and horse-dung, and earth, or portions of the bed on which the
dog had lain, we should seldom err if we affirmed that he died rabid;
for it is only under the influence of the depraved appetite of rabies
that such substances are devoured. It is not the presence of every kind
of extraneous substance that will be satisfactory: pieces of coal, or
wood, or even the filthiest matter, will not justify us in pronouncing
the animal to be rabid; it is that peculiarly mingled mass of straw, and
hair, and filth of various kinds, that must indicate the existence of
rabies.
When there are no solid indigesta, but a fluid composed principally of
vitiated bile or extravasated blood, there will be a strong indication
of the presence of rabies. When, also, there are in the duodenum and
jejunum small portions of indigesta, the detection of the least quantity
will be decisive. The remainder has been ejected by vomit; and inquiry
should be made of the nature of the matter that has been discharged.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account