The Republican journal., 1871-08-31
Dealings With Mad Dogs

Every one will admit there are few
subjects which possess Il more terrible
fascination than that Of hylrophobia ;
from the awful nature of the disease, and
the caprici0us and uncertain manner in
which it assails its victim, it is invested
with horror and mystery beyond any and
every other i'll which man can suffer. |
do not mean to touch upon the medical
and scientific theories or treatment of
canine madness; such themes are above
me nor would the reader, probably, be
greatly enlightened were to do so, see
ing until very recently Il large section of
the scientific world entirely disputed the
existence of hydrophobia at all. or. at any
rate. the possibility of its being commune
Gated to human beings. Nor shall l
dwell upon the symptoms which declare
the dog to be effected, or attempt, unless
| mention them incidentally, in any way
TO describe them; all | propose to do is to
tell two or three anecdotes of men who
have been called upon to comfort mad
animals of the dog kind. First, let me
tell the reader that the most infinitely de-
tailed and interesting narrative Of the
whole kind is the death Of the Duke of
Richmond, in Canada. from the bite of a
rabid fox; he may read the story in most
anecdote books and shocking enough he
win find it; but terrible as IT NAV be, it
is also noble record of heroic endu. ance
of dreadful calamity. A great deal OF
good was done, despite the appropriately
Of the measures, by the dog-tax of few
Years back, and by the late Sir Richard
Mayne's order to the police to seize all
al N n
when that order was given, nearly fifteen
thousand dogs We're so seized, and London
escaped, for the first time in my memory,
without single death from hydrophobia
A plain man like myself looks at results,
which are generally more convincing than
theories.
The most dangerous characteristic OF
this disease is the capricious manner in
which it makes its appearance; sometimes
the dog will show for several days that
there is something wrong with him, mop
ing, and stunning those of whom he has
hitherto been fondest; while at other
times, as in the case Just given, it comes
on with irightful suddenness. The emf
nent philanthropist, Sir. L. F. Buxon,
who was great and good man in private
as well as public, had a truly terrible ad-
venture with large and tavorite dog
He was riding on horseback to London
one morning, from the vicinity of Hamp-
stead, when he heard great hubbub as
he came through the village, and to his
horror found that his own dog, which he
had left behind him, had broken out and,
raving mad, was biting ut everything
near-Mr. Buxton saw him bite at least !,
dozen dogs, and several human beings
In vain did his master ride after him, and
shout at or try to coax him; the brute no
longer Obeyed the familiar voice. As
they approached London the idea of the
mischief he would do in the crowded
streets became so overpowering, that his
master decided that it was his duty to run
every risk, and to capture him at any
hazard; and the dog fortunately turning
mp a drive which led to some lodge gate,
Mr.. Buxton sprang from his horse and
casped the raving mad Newfoundland
dog round the neck! After desperate
struggle, he dragged the animal close
enough to enable him to ring the bell,
and the gardener opening the lodge gate,
Mr.. Buxton, with his permission, forced
the dog into the garden, and a chain hav-
ing been procured, it was fastened to the
dogs collar, and to tree This part of
it is best told in Mr.. Buxton's own words
l made the gardener who was in a terrible
fright, secure the collar round his neck, and fix
the other end of the chain to tree, and then
walking to its furthest range, with all my force,
which was nearly exhausted by his frantic
struggles, / flung him away from me ant
sprang back. He made desperate boun(
after me; but finding himself foiled, he uttered
the most fearful yell l ever heard. All tha
day he did nothing but rush to and fro, champ.
ing the foam which gushed from his jaws; we
threw him meat, and he snatched ii. it witt
fury, but instantly dropped it again. The next
day, when | went to see him, ] thought the
chain seemed worn, so l pinned him to the
ground between the prongs of pitch-fork, and
then fixed a much larger chain round his neck
When / pulled away the fork, he sprang up
and made dash at me, which snapped the old
chain in two He died in forty-eight hours
from the time he went mad.
Some might call this heroism; but il
any of my readers should be placed in q
similar strait, the most desirable plan
would be to have the poor brute destroy
ed. My next illustration is not generally
known-Sir T. F. Buxton's probably is,