The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-07-19 00:00:00

FATAL CASE OF HYDROPHOBIA.

(From the Manchrstrr Guardian of Saturday.]
It appears, from the melancholy ere minces we are about to
narrate, that the alarm which has prevailed in this town and neigh-
bourhood for some time paif. and the precautionary measures
adopted by our municipal officers, have not been altogether without
foundation.
On Tuesday week Wm. Hurst, aged 16 years, the son of Mr.
Samuel Hurst, of the Blue public-house, in High-street, be-
came rather unwell, feeling, especially, a great depression of
spirits, and a disinclination for company. These symptoms gra-
dually became more aggravated on the Wednesday and Thursday,
though without any striking change. On the Thursday night he
strongly objected to sleeping, as usual, with a younger brother,
and was permitted to sleep alone. On the Friday morning he
was about to equal his hands, when, as be stated, he felt so
great a disgust at the appearance of the water, that he could not
bring himself to immerse his hands in it. But this circumstance
paned at the time without particular notice, tot the slightlat sus-
picion being entertained of t..e nature of his eom plain t. Towards even-
mg he became much worse, and the family surgeon (Mr. Stein) was
called in to see him- As the patient, though labouring under great
oppression, did not at that tune exhibit any decided symptom of hy-
drophobia,and nothing being said on the subject of his having been in
contact with a rabid anitnal,Mr. Stein entertained no suspicion of the
real nature of his disorder. He told the patient he would send hint
some medicine ; when the latter earnestly desired that it might not
be in the shape of a liquid, but of pills : we believe this request
was complied with, and the pills were taken. On the following
ing the patient became much worse, being seized with violent
spasms; and his appearance was so alarming that Mr. Stein was
again sent foe; but as he happened to be gone out, ylr. Hurst
called in Mr. Clarke, a surgeon resident in Shudehill. When he
arrived he found the boy supported in bed, and unable to speak.
Finding the pulse very. strong arid quick he opened a vein, and
took away sixteen or eighteen ounces of blood; after which the
patient was much easier. It is well known that bleeding usually
induces thirst; but the boy did not, as is usual, ask for drink, until
asked by Mr. Clarke if he did not feel thirsty, when he replied that
he was very thirsty. A glass of water was then brought and given
into his hands, and he slowly, and with apparent difficulty,
lifted it towards his mouth ; but the liquid no sooner approached
his lips, than he shrunk back with great horror, and said, " I can-
not drink; i cannot drink." Mr. Clarke urged him to make an.
other attempt ; on which he took hold of the glass with both hands,
and, after a violent struggle with his feelings, succeeded with great
difficulty in carrying it to his lips, and taking a small quantity of
water into hi• mouth, when he was seized with most violent spasms;
and the water he had taken was forcibly ejected from the mouth by
the spasmodic action of the muscles of the throat. Mr. Clarke
then, for the first time, became attire of the dreadful nature of the
disorder under which his unhappy patient was suffering; and he
recollected to have heard something about a dog belonging to the
house having gone mad, and been destroyed, which of course left
no further doubt upon his mind. IPhen he communicated die sad
tidings to the young man's parents, who up to that time had no
auspteion of hydrophobia, their distress may be conceived, but can-
not he described. It being thought desirable to obtain the advice
of a physician, Dr. Davenport 'flame was called in ; but of course,
in that advanced stage of the disorder, nothing could be done to
avert the impending fate of the unhappy sufferer. With the view,
however, of alleviating the symptoms, an anodyne bolus was pre-
scribed, of which he swallowed a part, but the sudden and violent
recurrence of the 1114.4 m prevented him from taking the remainder.
Anodyne injections were afterwards administered ; but no pete,
able benefit was derived 00.11 them, as the spasms continued with
unabated violence. Towards evening the patient became at inter.
rats so restless, that It was judged expedient to restrain him by
means of a strait waistcoat. Prior to this he frequently held out
his arm, and requested to be bled, having probably experienced re-
lief when that operation was performed ; but we believe it was not
repeated. About nine o'clock the violence of the symptom began
to abate, as nature became exhausted by excess of suffering, thew-
ing that dissolution was fast approaching. and about half-past ele-
ven he quietly and almost insensibly expired.
When It was first discovered that hydrophobia was the disorder
with which the unfortunate young man was attacked, an inquiry
was very naturally set on foot as to the manner in which he I.ad
contracted it. We have already stated that a dog belonging to Mr.
Hurst had been destroyed, under an impression that at was mad.
Still as it had not bitten the young man, it was not easy to conceive
how the infection had been communicated. However, on making j
minute inquiries front different menibers of the family, l/r. Hulme
learnt that the day before the dog aas destroyed the deceased had
cut • wart on one of his hands, and permitted the animal to lick
away the blood. It had also licked his lips, which were sore at the
time. These circumstances, and especially the licking of the
wound caused by cutting the wart, were of course fully sufficient to
account far the introduction of the virus into the system of the suf-
terve. SVeundenttand, that tutor to the day on which he had acted
• incautiously, the dog had exhibited symptoms which induced
Mr. Hunt to desire his ion to keep it tied up; a caution which he
unhappily neglected. On the day after it licked his hand, it be.
gars to manifest unequivocal syniptoms of hydrophobia, and was
destroyed by Mr. Hurst's orders—we wish we could say, without
haring done any further mischief; but we are sorry to add, that
it bit at least three other persons, all boys, who were playing in
the streets in the neighbourhood. We hope, however, that such'
steps hare been taken as will preserve them front the effects of the
contagion.
This fatal occurrence has very materially led to renewed notices
on the part of the officers of the town, not to permit dogs to be
at large, and to increased exertions for the destruction of those
which have been found wandering about the streets.
. .

Police o*ces have been sent into al parts of both 31ancliestcr
and Salford ; and a considerable nutivbat of dom. bare been put to
death. including those killed a few weeks alio. nearly 'Asti have
been destroyed iu 31anclirsier, cal about 2UO in Salford, t.nd there
is now scarcely a tlog to be seen in the streets.

CRIME IN 1RLI.•!11),-111C number of cases for trial, at
the ensuing County Limerick Assists, amounts to twenty-
five,
of which twenty-five are for murder and attempt to
murder, three for forgery, eight for rape and abdmetion,
sic sheep-stealing, fourteen robbery, seven assaulting ha-
bitations,
and the remainder for minor offences. This is •
not half the number returned on the last Spring Assizes
Calendar, which was 161.—Cork Southern Reporter.
or THE DEM is.-On Monday selinight a woman
was apprehended in lbsle-street, for begging with a petiti;tn
painted on the inside of two plates of tin. setting forth,
that, in consequence of a cancer in her throat, she was
unable to speak or to labour for her subsiatenee. Iler
appeatance and manner before the magistrates s:coned to
sustain these allegations; and it was humanely ordered
that her case should be inquired into. She led the officer
who attended her through a variety of streets; hut, not
Wendt% log her abode, she was recommitted to Whit-ell.
Next day, having nude signs that she had a husband in
town, she was rulers tl, and an officer sent to watch her, to I
ascertain the fart, when, to his great Fury, ise, on her way
she most miraculously hail her speech restored. and in al
dear and audible voice asked. " 1I hick is the way to Po IN.-
111:C.011.5 row?" The otiicer fordo with brought her before
the titvistrate, Pilot she stated her name to he Bridget
.M'l4..gon, from tho Iligiolamis of Scoattool ; and, en send-
ing to :a cure her paraltiettr, it ...els ared he had dee:moped.
She was cominithol f,:r one in, ntla to hard I...ber,r.
rm.! Mercury.
FATAL CASE or 111111401.11081 A AT LIVERPOOL—WC
hare ittitlitiritv to 0:111C. that :in iv trre‘ting girl pi ahmst ii ii rwen
years of age. 'died lit re on 3lot.day Wit, of this drcatilitl
rpool Mercury.
11rATII FROM DRINKING—John Brown, the master of
Smelt tr.bding vessel, died lately at Blennerville. County Kerry,
from the excessive MSC of spirituous liquurs.—Limerick Obsereee.