Ordinarily the bite of a non-venomous animal needs no other attention than cleansing and an antiseptic dressing, unless there is enough laceration to require surgical measures. Still, the bite of any animal, from mouse to man, may be dangerous. Germs from foul teeth may be carried into the wound. Vindictive and long-sustained anger sometimes seems to create a virus in the saliva, so that the bite of a teased and infuriated animal may act almost as a venom. If there be reasonable doubt, cauterize the wound as for snake bite, or with nitrate of silver, or with a nail brought to a white heat (not so painful as if only red-hot). This will not, in all likihood, prevent an attack of hydrophobia if the animal was rabid, but it will kill such other poison or germs as may have been introduced.