Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-07-03

thai even the bu1Ztng OF tnOse igSeCts arONnC
IL. head threw IL into state of great agitation.
When exposed 10 IA current OF air from win.
dow bv tanning. waving the hand before OF
behinS il, or indeed any canse that produced
current ofair, the same symptoms were at
y;,ys produced. It's own Image, reflected in
looh ing glass, produced great apparent terror.
and threw il into state otuniversai spasmOd.c
tIer,or Pouring water from one vessel into
another did not seem To effect II much, hni
wbeu water WAS offered To il, IL seemed alarm
ed seizinc the vessel with frI0Cious avidity,
drawing ul, the knees TO tie chln, breast heav-
iu.. aud e,es staring. Wtcn The water passed
the lips the difficulty seemed 10 have been sur
n,ourted The distress arrcaied TO have hcen
n,otucpd in set;ing,it TO the lips; when this
was done, il Swallowed with great rapidity,
bu, no apparent difficulty IN SO dofua. Repeat
cd sisiiiis, and short broAen inspirations, C.
mblin. uSihmaic rugOA sms, "ere observed
--.Ieat irri,ab.lity OF the scalp, aud pam IN
I q hcaG.
No longer doubtiug the alarming nature of
tlc disease. Dr.. Watson was requested to visit
the patienl IN consultation. Between sand 9
o'clock AT night, the doctor attended-ah the
symptoms were aggravated. The doctor did
not hesitate to pronOunce II a diStinc, mai ked
case ut hydreThuba. He had attended the
son Of Mrs. Taylor. who died with the same
disease, aud he pointed oui the similarity IN The
symptoms. An enema, containing Is drops of
the tinc;ure at opium, had been Prescif bed,
with directions 10 repeat il until some effect
was produced Cold applications were direct
cd 10 hc applied TO the head. On AN exaR,ina.
zion OF the wound, some inflammation was oh
served IN tile cicatriX, AID concetving that
some irritation existed there, having anagcncy
ia the present symptoms, IL was suggested by
DIR. W that the wound should be again put in
TO a sUppuraiing condition, by the application
q. the caustc which was done. Five drops of
1audInnm were ordered to be given every half
hour u.,til the desired effect was produced.-
Between and q o'clock on Thursday morn
ING, our sisitwas repeated. Seventy five droSs
of hudapum had been taken, without preduc-
aug amy beneficial effect. Sleep had not been
produced, aud except copious pcrspiraiioB,
UOpe of tie effects of opium ON the system
we're observed. frothy saliva was constant
ly Issuing frcm the month, all the symptoms
were more violent, and evidently pOitcnled
speedy dissolution.
AS every attempt 60 arrest the fatal termina
fism OF the disease had been made without ef
feet il was proposed (by a. highly Respectable
member of the faculty present, supported oy
Others also present, and urged by the friends
OF the child TO abstract blood, coutormabie
10 the practice pHrsued in the East indies...,
The jugular vein was opened, but before OF.
was drawn away, iainting was produced which
rendered it necessary 10 stop the flow OF blood.
Between ard , p. 81. death terminated the
existence ofihe little sufferer.
Whatever confidence my views Of the nature
e this disease may induce me TO repose in the
lancet, am far tioni thinking that the present
case was ore calculated TO test the efficacy Of
that remedy. The advanced period of the dis
ease, the state of the pulse, which from the be-
ginning was weak, quick auu lGtltdDiei anu
the debility produced by another and previous
disease, all seemed calculated TO precinde any
beliefii being derived from the lancet-AD- as
the operation may have had the eject ofhreak-
Ing III upon the REGULAR progresso OF The disease,
and thereby preventing tbs occurrence ofSome
otits symptoms, so necessary to be known and
understood, il would have beeu better, IN all
probability, to have omitted the operation al
together.
On reviewing the history of this case, and
the analogous one of Mrs Tay Tors child il
would seem that IT'S true nature has not as yet
been properly defined That The dread of flu
IDS docs not proceed from an inability TO swat
low them, seems cear from the history OF boih
cases. The only apparent ditiicuity was get
ting the water 10 the hps. This accomplished,
it was swallowed with facility. Nor does it
seem az oil probable, that this disease is lOcat-
cd IN the iauynN and trachca, and that death
Is produced By closure of the CLOTHS, in the
ACT at swallowing fluids. The morbid appear
ances evinced by dissection in other and vital
parts OF The body would as soon produce II.
Although there are well atteSted cases on
record OF Il salvation having prevented the
formation of the disease, ii does not appear
that IT always has that effect. This case should
also prove TO. us. that litile confidence should
Ee placed IN the application oftiie stone, where
person has been bitten by dog evidently
rabid.
have thus, Sir, endcayored to comply with
yonr request, III furnishing you with stale
ineut OF this distressing case. While il Is IA
tional to believe, that there is no evil, moral or
physical, TOR which the hand of municent
Providence l,as not afforded proper remedy,
may we not he allowed, in imagination, toraise
the curtain which separates us from a few
years to come, and then behold the hydropho
bia no longer on the list %. mortal diseases
Fruitful eur country is in resources the
great and rapid strides that science makes
amongst uS-who knows, but what some of
our forests, yet nnexplOred, may furnish The
world with il remedy calculated TO triumph
yer all the symptoms of this terrific disease,
and permit il no longer TO remain a monument
OF the lnperiectiOu OF the healing art?
WIN. III. HENING.