More difficult and terrifying are the Symptoms from the Bite of a _Mad Dog_, whose Venom has this also surprising in it, that the bad Effects do not appear oftentimes till the Cause of ’em is forgot; for the Wound is as easily cured as a common Bite is; but nevertheless a considerable time after, a melancholy Tragedy succeeds, sometimes sooner, sometimes later; for there are Instances of its being deferred to Two, (70) Six Months, nay, a Year, and longer, tho’ the attack is generally within Forty Days after the Wound; about that time, the Patient complains of Running Pains all over his Body, especially near the Part wounded, like unto those in a Rheumatism, grows pensive and sad, prone to Anger upon little or no Occasion, with an intermitting Pulse, Tremblings and Contractions of the Nerves, with a great inward Heat and Thirst; and yet in a few Days (when the Disease is come to its height) a Dread and Fear of Water, and any Liquor whatsoever; so that at the very sight of it he falls into dismal Convulsions and Agonies, and cannot drink the least drop; and this _Hydrophobia_, or _Aquæ Timor_, has been always accounted the surest Sign and Mark of this Poison, as distinguishing it from all others.
The Ancients have at large described these Symptoms, as _Galen_, _Dioscorides_, _Aetius_, _Ægineta_, but most particularly of all, _Cælius Aurelianus_ (71); and later Writers have given us several Instances of the _Hydrophobia_; Two Histories of it published, the one by Dr. _Lister_ (72), the other by Dr. _Howman_ (73), I shall more especially take Notice of, and refer to, as containing the most exact and large Account of any I have met with; he that desires more, may consult the several Authors cited by that diligent Observer, _Stalpart van der Wiel_ (74).
That this Disease is accompany’d with a _Delirium_, is almost the common Opinion both of Ancients and Moderns; _Damocrates_ called it the barking Phrensie (75); but Dr. _Lister_ agrees in this Point with _Petrus Salius Diversus_ (76), and will not allow a _Delirium_ to be the necessary consequent of this Venom; and yet at the same time he tells us, that his Patient barked like a Dog, and bit at the By-standers; that he threw into his Mouth what was given him more hastily and suddenly than it is Natural or Customary for Men to do.