Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-09-12


On Tuesday 2lst, al the suggestion oil
a friend, halt spoonful Of water was
droppea into her mouth by way Of exPer-
iment, and it Immediately produced the
most irighlrui spssms aud deprived her
altogether oil the power of swallowing
From this time uutil about o'clock the
next morping, she was attacked with these
spasms 10 succession, with short intervals,
during which she barked, suarled and
snapped alternately like dog; seizine
the bed clothes with her teeth, growing
and shaking them 10 her mouth, with
quick motion from side to side. as that an
isnal does when he gets smaller one intt
his mouth, and intends to kill 1t. Sht
Jumped up and ran round the room on al
, fours. increasing 10 rapidity, and yelpins
like a whiffet, that was 10 pursuit OF soma
game Of which il appeared 90 the track
and she became, more and more violent
untilit was found necessary to confine hel
on bed.
This day, in lucid interval, she, fol
the first time. told her parents Of the cir
eumstance that she had been bitten las
year in the arm, by the little dog in the
barrel, as she was attempting to feed him
and that the reason she had not told Of 1
before, was because she was afraid hen
father would whip her, as he had promis
ed he would if she went into the stable.
Inthe evening, Drs. Barnes and Cooper
of Poughkeepsie, and DR.. HeatoD, Of
PIa,tekili, we're sent for to bold consul.
tation upon her case. They found the
patient in the most depiorable situation /;
an agitation OF the whole frame, perpetual
ressiessness, hurried aud laborions res
piration, bloated face, contracted features,
eyes suffnsed with blood and staring wild,
and the power of swallowing entirely
gone. To ascertain whether the disease
was hydrophobia, they took an empty
bowl and a pitcher of water, went unob-
served into an adjoining room, and open
ing softly door near the head of her
bed, but unperceived by her, poured il
into the bowl SO that she could hear the
noise, and no sooner did the sound reach
her ear, than it instantly threw her into
the most violent commissions. This ex-
pertinent was repeated by DIR. Heaten the
next day, in the same manner, and with
the same effect, at time when her mind
was entirely eDgrossed with hymn book
she was reading aloud, in the presence Of
several neighbors: The moment she heard
the noise of water, uncomfortable spasms
seized her whole frame. Warm teas she
could hold in her month without apparent
difficulty, but cold water she could not
endure TO touch, 10 look at, nor even to
hear the name of water mentioned. Dur
ing their stay, upwards of an hour, she
rose from her bed as she before had doue
10 the presence Of DIR. Benton, on Mon
day evening, and commenced kind Of
trot Ia circle round the rooms frolhing
and keeping up constant yeiping, resem-
bling that Of small dog upon the scent
a copious and viscid- saliva the whole
time running from her open mouth. She
continued this action with increasing We
locity, until becoming exhausted, she
tainted into the arms Of somebody who
stood ready TO catch her. Similar parox-
isms occurred often every day aud night
throughout Der illness. The nature Of
the disease could no longer be mistaken.
The three physicians agreed 10 recon.
mending trial Of the scullcap, to be ad.
miuistered while the impossibility Of swal-
lowing continued, as an enema, with half
an ounce Of laudanum and TO be re-
peated till the desired effect should be
produced but as soon as the power Of
returned, TO give strong de-
Coction of the plaut as often as she could
drink il. Aud there being no scullcap to
be found IN the vicinity, they promised to
send some 90 their return home to Pough-
keepsie, miles distant. After they were
gone, her poor mother employed herself
10 sitting down and making up her shroud,
10 the expectation that her death was
speedily approaching, and that nothing
remained but to perform the last sad Off
ces TO her child.
While the messenger was gone Tor the
scuIlcap, DR.. Gedney, the attending ply
stefan arrived, and ordered that piece
Of linen should be folded, and thoroughly
wetted with ether, then laid across her
throat, and kept there soaking wet. 10
about half an hour the power Of swallow
ing returned, and TO the surprise aud joy
of her mother, she heard her daughter
ask 10 low whisper FOR a tea-spoonful Of
wine; which, with no little difficulty she
got down, and asked for another and then
another, which were given to her with the
same success. BY this lime, The scullcap
came, Of which strong. Tea was imme,
diateIy prepared, by pouring quart Of
boiling water upon ~ ounce Of the pull
verised herb, and as soon as il was ready
it was presented 10 her; but after attempt