On Thursday morning, the 25th ult. I was called up about seven o'clock to see a man who I understood was exceedingly ill, and waiting in the surgery very impatiently for my arrival. I found my patient (Mr. Barham), a fine looking old man, about 60, labouring at intervals of about five minutes under strong spasmodic paroxysms, affecting the muscles concerned in breathing and deglutition. There was a wildness and an impatience depicted in his countenance, totally different from any thing I had ever observed in other spasmodic affections. His bowels were open, tongue clean, skin moist, pulse full and a little accelerated. I took away twenty ounces of blood, and prescribed a mixture containing ʒss. of laudanum for a dose every hour until I should see him again. He walked home half a mile from my house (Gloucester Road, Old Brompton), and left me ruminating on the possible cause of so much mischief occurring suddenly in a fine healthy subject. At ten a message was sent, saying that he was much worse, and requesting me to call as soon as possible. He received me tranquilly, and said he was very glad that I had come to see him, for he was very ill. His symptoms were now more distressing than when I first saw him: he looked wildly and suspiciously at every one entering his apartment, and his breathing was accompanied by a short convulsive sobbing. On looking at his medicine I perceived he had taken none, and expressing my surprise, he assured me it was impossible for him to swallow a single drop, as the attempt had been followed by violent spasms, and produced so much distress, that he had desisted. At this period no one had the slightest idea of the origin of his malady. I poured out some medicine into a tea-cup, the very act of which produced much excitement and alarm. My first impression as to the true nature of his disease arose at this period, from the circumstance of his requiring a tea-spoon, with which he endeavoured to take some of the medicine. The attempt produced much excitement and alarm, and after two or three painful efforts at deglutition, with one desperate effort he swallowed a tea-spoonful, threw away the spoon, and begged, unless I wished to destroy him, that he might have nothing more to swallow. I now left his room, and inquired of a bystander whether any thing particular had occurred to him within the last few weeks. On recollection she said, "About a month since, late at night, a strange dog came into the premises and fought with his own dog; he got out of bed to separate them, and the strange dog bit him in two places, on the left arm and hand; and bit a puppy, which died about a fortnight after in a strange way, which was thought to be some kind of a fit." To ascertain if this occurrence had produced any effect on his mind, while again bleeding him I said, "You have been in the wars, Sir, and had your hand and arm torn; how did it occur?"--"Oh!" said he, carelessly, "that was done by a dog a