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of it he falls into terrible convulsions, and, notwithstanding he is tormented with an unquenchable thirst, it is impossible for him to swallow one single drop. At intervals he is quite out of his senses; and when the disease attacks him to a very high degree, he becomes raving mad, inclined to wound or bite any body who comes within his reach: and when he is in this miserable state, in which no relief can be administered, it has more than once been granted as an act of mercy, to put an end to the life of such an unhappy man, by smothering him betwixt two beds.-What an awful scene of misery!

Many years ago, this remedy, which I here send you, has been known in the province of Groningen, and the adjacent districts, where my father was physician for several years, and had often occasion to make trial of it. After repeated and constant success, my father judged this remedy so beneficial to the human species, as to communicate it to the medical society at Amsterdam, under the motto, Servandis civibus, ina letter dated Groningen, Aug. 17, 1781, under the title of " Observations on the Canine Madness."

The manner in which this remedy is to be prepared, and must be taken, the author describes in the following manner, viz. Take three yolks of hen's eggs, and oil olive as much as will fill three half egg-shells; put this together in a frying-pan on a gentle fire; by continually stirring it with a knife mix it well together, and continue doing this till it turns to a conserve, or thick jelly, which, when made, will fill a great teacup.

The manner of using it is as follows: He who is bitten must take,

(the sooner the better after the bite, the effect of the remedy being uncertain, if not applied within nine days) the above-mentioned doses two successive days, after he has fasted six hours, abstaining even from drink, which he likewise must do for six hours after he has taken it. When the patient has a wound, the wound must be scratched open twice a day, with a pen of firewood, for nine successive days, and every time the wound must be dressed with some of the same remedy. He who only has play. ed with and caressed such a dog or has been licked by the same, takes (for precaution's sake) only the abovementioned dose for one time.

To an animal of what kind soever, that is bitten, must be given, two successive days, a double portion of the same remedy; and neither meat nor drink six hours before, nor six hours after.

Notwithstanding little or no credit will perhaps be given by many readers to this simple remedy, I mean now, by some striking instances, to confirm the efficacy of it against the horrible consequences of the bite of a mad dog, both in men and in beasts. I have known this remedy almost from my infancy, and made use of it as cases required.

In the year 1765, in the month of May, on my voyage to my native city, London, to visit my friends residing there, passing through Amsterdam, where I had remained some days, I came accidentally to the Binnen Amstel, where I saw many people collected together.-Enquiring the reason, some of the spectators told me, that there was a man, who had been come home about an hour, bitten by a mad dog, and that

he

he had a wife and three children. Elated with joy and hope that I could help this man, I desired them to let me pass. Coming into the house, I found the whole family in tears, for it was well known that the dog which had wounded the man was turned mad. I addressed myself to the man, consoled him, and assured them all, that, if they would submit to my advice, there was not the least danger. I gave them a prescription of the above-mentioned remedy, and the manner in which it was to be taken. In my return home, according to the promise I had made them at my departure, passing through Amsterdam again, which was in the month of August of the same year, I paid them another visit. To my great joy, I found that the man had made use of my remedy, and that he continued quite whole and sound. After the whole family had thanked me in a very obliging manner, with great satisfaction I took my leave.

In the month of June, 1770, my brother, now physician in Groningen, was bitten, by a small greyhound which we had in our house, in one of his fingers so severely that the wound bled very much; immeciately after he bit also our two cats. Still we had not the least suspicion that the dog was mad, for nothing extraordinary appeared, and the wound was only dressed up with a linen rag. He ate and drank that whole day as usual. The next morning the dog was missing. Not long after, a man came to our house, and told us that our dog, which he had seen about the distance of three

miles, must certainly be mad, for he had bitten several dogs, and a sheep which was in the fields. The confidence which we had in this remedy, prevented any very great alarm. My brother took the remedy, according to the prescription, and by the mercy of God was preserved from every ill consequence. Likewise the dogs which were bitten, and to whom this remedy was given shewed no symptoms of madness, and remained free from every ill effect. But the sheep, which had not taken this remedy, turned mad.

In attestation of the great efficacy this remedy possesses in cases where animals are bitten by a mad dog, I think the following experiment on two dogs will be sufficient.

Mr. J. Fr. van der Piepen, living at the house of Mr. J. Stook, a late renowned physician in this city, as his attendant apothecary,* at my desire communicated the following case:

In the beginning of the year 1787, the 8th of January, Mr. van der Piepen, in the forenoon, having been out on some business, intending to go into the house, accompanied by two spaniels, ascending the steps, saw a little dog coming up, which bit one of his dogs; the other sought to save himself by flight, but was bitten with so much fury, that a part of his ear was torn off. Besides these, Mr. van der Piepen saw two other dogs bitten by the same. This accident being related to Mr. Stook, and it also being reported that a little dog in the neighbourhood was become mad, and this being afterwards confirmed,

Mr.

In this city it is a privilege of some physicians to deliver to their patients medi cines prepared by apothecaries at their own houses.

Mr. Stook desired, to prevent all mischief, that both the dogs should be shot: to which Mr. van der Piepen could not give his consent, recollecting that he had read somewhere of a remedy against the consequences of the bite of a mad dog. Finding this in the printed records of the Medical Society at Amsterdam above-mentioned, at his request Mr. Stook consented to make trial of this remedy. With this design, the dogs were securely chained to their kennels; the remedy, consisting of oil and eggs, was given them, according to the prescription; and the consequence was, that both the dogs were saved.

The singular effect which this remedy had on these dogs was, that they both sweat, all over their bodies, to such a degree, that the inside of their kennels was stained with it, and adhered so much to the walls, that great labour was necessary in order to scrub it off. The stench was so strong, as Mr. Stook told me, that only for a small time he could remain in the room where the dogs were; and almost all their hair was fallen off.

By this case I doubt not but every impartial reader will be convinced of the great efficacy this remedy has on the animal body, as it forced the sweat through the pores of their skin (otherwise not natural in this kind of animal), and of such an acridity, as to make their hairs fall off. That the little dog, by which the spaniels were bitten, has been mad, is proved by the neighbour's dog, which had been locked up for some days, having given evident signs of the hydrophobia, and for that reason was killed instantly.

That the above-mentioned remedy, consisting of oil and eggs, has

great power even when the hydro-
phobia is perceived, though not
sufficient to save the person's life,
will appear
from the two examples
which my
father has related in the
above-mentioned observations.
Above all, to shew the great
power of this remedy by experi-
ence, I will give two instances,
many years ago communicated to
me by the very learned Mr. C. Eb.
Muller, formerly a celebrated phy-
sician at Amsterdam.-The two
men lived in the suburbs. They
both were much indisposed, without
knowing what was the matter with
them. The wife of one of them
told the physician, her husband
could not drink, something was
amiss with his throat, &c.-Mr.
Muller ordered directly a glass
tumbler full of water, and offered it
to the patient, upon which he fell
into strong convulsions; which pro-
ved to Mr. Muller, that the man was
already hydrophobical, and had been
bitten by a mad dog, which he af-
terwards related to his wife; on
which she, with great astonishment,
answered "Oh, that is true; but
we did not know the animal was
mad. It was a little dog, and hap-
pened about six weeks ago." After
this discovery, the doctor himself
took the trouble to prepare the afore-
said remedy, to be certain of the ef-
fect it might have in this first trial.
It was the third day that he dreaded
water. The man took this remedy;
and, observe, in a little while after
he asked to drink, and drank more
than a pint of clear water with great
ease, and attesting a pleasure be-
yond all description. Halfan hour af-
ter, he began to vomit plentifully a
blackish matter, resembling curdled
blood; after that he drank again,
and as much as was sufficient to

quench

quench his great thirst; though within six or seven hours after this he died. Almost the same was the issue in the other case. The patient having taken the above-mentioned remedy, the hydrophobia abated, he drank plentifully, vomited the like matter continually, but he also died the next day."

Notwithstanding the patients last mentioned could not be restored, or preserved from death, I think, however, these examples give a striking proof of the great effect of this remedy to relieve the hydrophobia in such a manner, that they could drink with ease, and quench their great thirst; a temporary pleasure to such unhappy men in their last moments. As this remedy is of that great power to remove the hydrophobia, I think we may conclude with confidence, on good foundation of reason, that, when this remedy is duly prepared and taken, under God's blessing it may be of that effect, as well in man as in beast, to prevent all the dreadful consequences of the bite of a mad dog.

That the above-mentioned remedy, how simple soever inits appearance, may be of that salutiferous effect as to prevent the consequences of the bite of a mad dog, will become more credible, if we make our reflections on the olive oil simply considered. This oil appears soft to the touch, and makes the bodies to which it is applied smooth and pliant. A drop of the oil, applied to the wound made by the bite or sting of a bee, wasp, or any other insect of that sort, will soon take away the pain and swelling caused thereby. In the first application it will give exquisite pain, but it ceases very soon. That the simple olive oil has even the power to de

stroy totally the venom of thesting or the bite of a viper, and, when soon enough applied, to prevent the bad consequences of the bite of that animal, has been already long known in England. This also my father has known by experience in the year 1763. In the month of June he was sent for to a young man, about five-and-twenty years of age, plethoric, and sound of body. He was informed, that the patient, having been out to his turf lands, was bitten by a viper in his leg. With much pain and difficulty, he told my father, he had been more than two hours on the road, though he had not been three miles from his house. His leg and belly were much swelled; he was restless, thirsty, feverish, and very full of pain. On my father's order, the olive oil was immediately made warm, and the swollen parts rubbed therewith continually. After some time with repeated application, all the above mentioned symptoms seemingly abated. In confidence that the power of the venom was destroyed, the patient was advised to go into a warm bed, where he fell into a refreshing sleep, and into a free perspiration. After some hours, he rose very much refreshed; and the happy consequence was, that, the next day, or the day following, he was quite recovered, fit for his daily labour, and remained in good health.

After this time my father recommended to several persons, usually going into the fields or turf-lands to do their work, to take with them a bottle of oil olive for precaution's sake, which had been applied by many in similar cases with success.

Of this manner of curing the bite of a viper (as related to me by

my

a

my father) is given the following proof. As it had been thought always necessary, in order to cure the bite of that animal, to make use of viper oil, that is, olive oil, in which a viper had died; William Oliver, viper-catcher, living at Bath, addressed himself to the college of Physicians in London, and offered to give a proof, in his own person, that the single olive oil had the power to cure the bite of a viper; whose offer was accepted by the gentlemen of the faculty, who promised him a reward of fifty pounds when he had given the proof.

The man, who was near seventy years of age, with his wife, came on the appointed day, which was the first of June, 1734.-He suffered himself to be bit by a viper in the hand and thumb, in presence of many gentlemen. The venom infected him a little while after; his hand and thumb, and other parts of the body, were seen to swell to that degree, that, to get his clothes off they were obliged to rip the seams up, which made it plainly appear that the venom worked in him. His wife (who came to assist him) got leave of the gentlemen to perform the cure. She made a good quantity of olive oil warm, and rubbed therewith continually the affected and swollen parts (by intervals also he took a spoonful of oil inwardly), till the swelling and other

symptoms abated, and she knew the venom was destroyed. He was laid on a couch prepared for him, and made warm: he fell into a gentle sleep, accompanied with a mild pérspiration. After six or seven hours, he was quite well, rose up, and, after he had taken something to refresh himself, to the surprize and satisfaction of all the gentlemen present, the viper-catcher and his wife, very well satisfied with their premium, took their leave of the gentlemen, and returned home.

This fact was inserted, by Dr. Mortimer, of London, in the Phi losophical Transactions, vol. xl. p. 153.

As the single olive oil is found to be of that effect, not only to prevent the mischiefs of the bite of a viper, but also to cure the symptoms of the same when apparent, which I have proved by these instances, with a view to secure more confidence in the remedy against the dreadful consequences of the bite of a mad dog, and which I think of more peculiar value, as it is simple, almost always at hand, and may be by every body soon prepared; this communication, sir, I hope, may be acceptable; and that it may, by the blessing of God, be useful to mankind, is the sincere wish of your most humble servant,

A. J. AUGUSTUS LOOF,
Physician, at Rotterdam.

ANTIQUITIES.

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