The Sun.
London, England, 1825-04-02 00:00:00

HYDROPHOBIA.

Several Journals have recently asserted that
the use of vinegar in the treatment of hydrophobia is a specific
remedy. It would be useless to repeat here the names of all
those authors who have recommended its use upon such occa-
sions, to prove that the opinion entertained of its efficacy is by
no means a lately adopted one. It is, nevertheless, certain,
that its effects have been exaggerated in attributing to it the
powers of an infallible specific. The following case, of the
authenticity of which there is no doubt, deserves to be made
known, as it proves the utility, to a certain degree, of this very
simple means, and which has- moreover the auvantage of being
almost always at hand. On the 15th of last June, at Boleme,
in the arrondissement-of Meaux, a fannef's boy, aged 14, was
bitten by a sporting dog, whichi animal had already bitten
several dogs in the village. The wound is upon the wrist, and
a few lines in extent. Eight hours after the accident, the boy
was seen by Drs. Cassan, father and son, who enlarged the
wound, and cauterized repeatedly with a red hot iron. There
was afterwards placed upon the part affected a blister, the sup-
puration produced by which was kept up during a month:
Until the commencement of August, the general health of
the boy remained unaltered, he preserved his usual gaiety, and
showed no inquietude as to the wound. But in the month of
August a very visible change took place in his character, na-
turally mild. He became sombre, taciturn, indocile, and surly.
On the 6th of August he complained of a painful weariness.
On the morning of the 7th he was taken with nervous convul-
,sions. He was unable to eat; but tre drank off a large glass of
light cyder ; soon after the symptoms became more alarming:
the patient asked again for drink, but on the liquor being
brought near his mouth, he involuntarily repelled it, and was
immediately seized with a violent spasm in the muscles of the
neck. .On the morning of the Bth the Messrs. Cassan were
called in. They 'found the boy in a state of extreme anxiety,
complaining of burning thirst, Ws breathing very difficult, and
his pulse extremely irregular and rapid. •
At the sight and even-at- the bare "mention of liquor he fell
into the most terrible convulsions, accompanied with gnashing
of the teeth. The conscientiousness he had of not being able
to swallow liquids appeared to be the sole.cause of the augmen.
tation of the nervous affection. Ills intellectual faculties were
in no wise troubled, he submitted very willingly to the
.exami.
nation of his mouth. There were none of those pustules visible
about the bridle of the tongue, which M..Marochetti and others
say. they have invariably discovered in similar cases, and upon
which they look as a certain sign of the presence of hydrophobia.
The cicatrice of the little wound was of a bird colour. Dr.
Cassan convinced that the boy *as attacked with hydrophobia,
resolved to try the effect of vinegar; they first moistened the
lips and tongue of the patient with a linen rag, dipped in vine-
gar, but he was unable to bear more than two or three times
this application.—They then gave him some soft bread satu-
rated with vinegar ; he succeeded in swallowing some mouth-
fuls, but the rest was rejected with incredible efforts.
This crisis was only momentary, but immediately after the
boy was taken with a continued ptytalism ; vinegar injections
were then administered, and in the course of four hours he had
taken a pound and a half of vinegar, diluted with three pounds
of water. His pulse lost its rapidity, but became extremely
hard. A transparent glass filled with limpid water was then
placed before his eyes, but lie seemed to take no notice of it,
until it was proposed to him to drink a spoonful.
He swallowed some drops, which caused him a burning sen-
sation. Insensibly the deglutition became easier, and hopes were
entertained of the happy effect of the vinegar, but in the absence
of the physicians the patient was-allowed to drink repeatedly,
and in large quantities, undiluted vinegar, at the same time that
the vinegar injections were continued, so that in the space of five
hours he had taken about two quarts of vinegar. As the ner-
vous symptoms diminished, those of an inflammation of the
abdomen declared themselves, and the boy expired in a few
hours afterwards.

Though' the patient in this ease perished, it yet appears
placed beyond a doubt, that the vinegar had contributed most
powerfully to allay the nervous symptoms. The horror of li-
quids disappeared altogether, the faculty of deglutition was
completely restored after the first doses of vinegar. it is then
very much to be desired that a similar experiment should
be often repeated, and with more care to avoid the acci-
dents resulting from the action of too great a quantity of thii
acid upon the organs. And even should the application have
no other effect than to allay and remove the horrible symptoms
accompanying this disease, it must be considered as a signal
service to humanity. For what is it that renders hydrophobia.
so terrible ? It is not the almost inevitable mortality that attends
it—mortality is incident to many other maladies i no, it is the
series offrightful syMtoms.dreadful and indescribable agonies,
that renders the unf'o'rtunate being afflicted with this most
hideous of visitations an object of horror and alarrn.—( French
Paper.

ST. ANDRMV'S--The senior Greek class is in a
state of insubordination at present. The Professor (ALEX-
ANDER) appears to have lost all controul over the students, and
to be in extreme perplexity. All this, we are informed, springs
from the rectorial dispute.—(Dundee Advertiser.)
A meeting was held at Canterbury on Tues-
day, of the Clergy of the Diocese, for the purpose of petitioning
Parliament against the Catholic Claims. The Archdeacon,
the Hon. and Rev. HUGLI PERCY, took the Chair. A Peti-
tition to both Houses of Parliament against any concession to
the Catholics was agreed upon. The Meeting was by no means
numerous as compared with former occasions.—(Kent Herald.)
The Commissioners for lighting and paving the
parish of St. George, Hanover-square, are at present employed
in lowering the pavement from the Marquis of CholmonGeley's
house in Piccadilly, as far as the Duke of Devonshire's, to the
extent of one foot at least, by which the rapid and dangerous
descent, where so many accidents have occurred, will be got rid
of. The street is to be paved with large stones, and- an
abundance of good gravel. The Marquis of Cholmondeley, the
Marquis of Hertford, Lord Coventry, Mr. Baring, and the
Duke of Devonshire, would gladly have Macadamized the
whole Street, but their suggestions were rejected by the majority
of the vestry.
A very singular and rare Gold Coin of RICHARD
111., in fine preservation, was lately discovered in an ancient
house in Devon, and which was unknown by the late Mr.
RunALL, the celebrated writer on British coins, and hitherto.
not described in medalic history. The piece is very similar to
and the full size of King Richard's Angel, but the It in the
last syllable of his name is omitted, and the letters are mis-
placed in the last word on the reverse ; there is also an abridg-
ment different from the angels that have been described in his-
e torical
E. FRANC.endsareas fßolloevwe,rsviz.:—Obverse,
R cA D accounts; oGu
Rn tAs ;x t.l,‘-i
Ge PER CRUCE
X TUA X SALVA Nos XPC x REDEDMP. This curious coin
is now in the possession of Mr. S. Woohner, of Exeter.

WESTMINSTER `SESSIONS.--(Tiers DAY.)

GEORGE HA Lt,,the Fanatic.—This young man
was brought- before the Court, and kindly advised
by the CHAIRMAN to. petition the Segretary of
State, who alone could remit the iMposed on
him. Hale declared he would rather address a
remonstrance, as he wouldranoner tiie than aban-
don .his principles. He however expiessed him-
self thankful for the intentions of the Chairman.
HANNAH DrinFlELn.--The indictment against
this notorious woman is traversed 'fig....next Ses-
sions. She was this morning admittekto bail.