Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-10-15
From the Richmond Compiler, Oct. 8.

We lament 10 state that black man died
on Thursday morning last, with some OF the
symptoms Of Hydr9phobia. Precisely three
months from that time, this unfortunate Ne
gro had been bit by little puppy, who
was not previously suspected of being mad, ,
but afterwards exhibited some symptoms Of
the distemper. The puppy hid bit little
child; and in the act OF driving him off, he
seized the negro by the left arm, and bit
him pretty severely Beins shaken off' from
that arm, he seized the other, which he al
so bit, though in an inconsiderab'e degree.
The same uppy likewise attacked and bit
another negro man suspicion began to be
excited, and the dog was killed.
The negro, who isjust dead, and the lit
tie boy. (ihe son OF respectable family in
this city were Immediately sent over to
the Mad Dog Stone. which is deposited at
Tappahannock $50 miles Off for use, and
whose virtues have been lately contested
with considerable force, in consequence Of
the fatal termination of two cases in this
city, each of which had the assistance Of
another stone belonging 70 one OF our cit-
Zens.
Ii is stated, ss one Of the criteria Of the
action OF the stone, that it uniformly ad.
here's to the part which contains any virus.
lit drops off, the part pronounced un-
affected by the virus, and the patient
has been generally considered as out OF
danger.
In the case Of this old man, the stone was
first applied to the left arm, (the first one
bit) and adhered with considerable tenaci-
ty. After extracting the poison from that
arm. los il was supposed by the perator,)
il was applied to the wound on the right
arm. which had been more slightly bit; but
il fell off without adherlng at all, or very
slightly. operator, We believe,
entertained sangune hopes that the danger
was over.
The old man made no serious complaints
until Monday night-when he was siezed
with pain in his right arm, which he des-
cribed as extending over half the right side
of his face. Medical aid was called IN, but
il was in yain.-The man grew worse and
worse-exhibited until the evening before
his death, horror at the drinking or sight
OF huids-indeed all the muscles of the
chest and that of the diaphragm seemed
thrown into CONFUSION, whenever the mus
cles of the throat connected with swallow
ing were thrown into action, not only as IN
drinking or strongly thinking of drinking
fluids. but also in having his head throw n
back for the purpose Of inspecting his
tongue shuddering, and the convulsiye
gasp of breathing. seemed TO come over him
at these momenls-indeed an extraoriina-
~ irritability appeared TO attack all the
muscles of his arms, neck, and chest-he
would occasionally swing his arm up and
down, and was seen to beat his head against
the wall. Such, we. understand, were some
of The symptoms observed; tho in such an
interesting question OF medical science, It
is earnestly hoped the world will be favored
with more particular and accurate ac-
count of this case from the hands Of the at
tending physieisn.-We do not take upon
ourselves to pronounce with certainty that
this was case of the Hydrophobia-it
may have been complicated with other
affec,ons-We leave tina, question TO the
inteliiyent gentlemen, who saw the case,
and understand The disease Of Hydropho-
bin.
II remarkable, that on the morning OF
his death. the negro slipped and drank wa
ter with much greater ease than had mar
ked the earlier periods Of the attack.