Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-07-03
CASE OF HYDRoPHoBIA.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ENouIRER

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ENQUIRER.
SIR-The case of hydrophobia, noticed in
the Enquirer of The 18th nit. having, as pre-
dicted, Terminated in death a statement of Tho
rise ana progress OF this terrible disease, will
rot be unacceptable, presume, 10 The MAORI
~ of your readers.
The subject of this melancholy case, was
JAMES =. WEST, AGED z Years ONLY SON OF Mr.
George West, (slater,) formerly Of New York.
and now of this city. On the 22d at Nav iasr.
the father called on me, and requested that
would visit his child, wiro had bccn bitten that
day by a dog, supposed 10 be mad On an ex.
animation, discovered ID wound Ihro' the palm
OF the hand, the tooth OF the animal passing De-
tween the metacarpal bones of the ring, and
middle fingers. At the time the wound was re-
ceived, the child was PLAYING in the ward. ard
had passed its hand through the palngs at the
very moment when the dog was passing on the
outside. The dog was seen to seize the hand
of the child, and inflicted the wound before
mentioned. From his being seen to snap nc
and bite other dogs, hogs, &c. he vas pursued
with AN intention TO Kill him hut taking re-
tuge IN the house TO which he belonged lie was
confined, and before he was killed, evinced
clear and unequivocai symptoms of ny drepho-
bis.
The child was Immediately taken 10 the East
Indian composition, or bezoar stone. II was
applied 10 the wound, stuck fer some time, and
was said TO have perfectly performed It's Office.
III was applied second time. Finding the
fears of tie parents much aayed from The
great confidence reposed in tae e!bcaCy Of this
remedy, i endeavored 10 impress ihem vilh
the necessity OF using further preventive mea-
suIes; and a. The situation OF The wound rem
derod its excsion diihcClt, if not impracticable
determined 10 make use of the liberal appli-
cation Of the lamar cauSiic. With view Of
promoting speedy suppuTatiOn, warm pouiti-
ces were directed 70 he often applied Mercu-
rial irlctiODs and the internal exhibition Of
small doses of caiOmel with a view of exciting
the mercurai action, and thus proving an adj
dtti3n&I preventive, were also used The next
Day, Dr. Warrei saw the patient with me.when
II was agreed TO remove the esrhar produced
by lie castle, dilate the wound. aud againap.
ply the caustIc freely. The wound was direct.
ed to he dressed with the EpisDastic ointmept,
ana n p0uiuce applied it, by a continue
non OF this plan OF treatment, the wound was
PAT III a suppurating condition, dischargiug
freely Tor several weeks. slight mercuTiai
aciionwas also produced, when il was deemed
prudent to omit the meTcurial remedies. The
wosnd filed MP and soon after healed.
On wednesday morning, the 23d ult. was
again requested to visit the child, as some
symptoms had appeared, calculated very much
To alarm the PARENTS. was informed, on max
ing my visit that during the previous night,
tie child had started frequently from it's sleep
screaming and evinciug great fear, and com
planning much Of its head. As il was then af-
fected with disordered bowels, common TO
children at this season, and as had been in
the habit of seeing children similarly affected
while ldboring under that disease I did not at
hrSt suspect the appearance of the formidabls
disease which very soon had 10 contend with.
By more particular enquiries, and closer at
tentlOn To the slate of the system began ~
suspect the real nature Of The disease. The
pareuis observed, that TIE day before ia az
Pcared Much alarmed at the sight Of flies, r. .