The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-12-02
From Portsmouth Eng. paper, Of Oct. IL.
HYDROPHOBTA.-DEATH OF Mr..
HERVEY.

vey received a slight wound in the cheek
from a house dog, which lie kept chnlned IN
the yard; but the hurt was so trlfllng that
no notice was taken of it at the time. The
following morning Mr.. Hervey went for
ward to the dog TO caress and iondle INN,
as frequently was his custom to do, when
the animal Immediately seized him by the
fleshy part of the arm, infiictlnga sad, pam
ful wound and it was with the creates;
difficulty and exertion that Mr.. Hervey could
extricate himself from the dog, as the ami
( NAL continued TO hold fast by the first grippe
he had taken. Mr.. Hervey lost no time in
repairing to Belfast, and waiting on DIR.
Purdon, until his ann healed up, and he APP
parently hogan to think that the danger was
not so great as he at first apprehended.
| Nothing particular occurred till the first
| of September, twelve weeks from, the day
| he received the first wound. On that day,
I feeling i'll, he sent for DR.. O'Neill of Com
| her. who communicated to his friend Mr..
Miller, his decided opinion that Mr.. Hervey
| had all the symptoms of confirmed hydro
| phobia. Mr. Miller then sat down Ivy his
! he'd side, and tried to sooth him as well as
he possibly could hut he shook his head
and replied, "No, Miller, am no child; |
know nv fate is sealed but the will of God
he done!" He could talk of water without
the smallest concern; hut he seemed totally
| at loss to account for the appearance OF it
giving him so much uneasiness and horror.
Mr.. Mccullough and Mr.. Miller remained
with him during the night. He tried to take
some milk. but when it was placed before
him he felt a slight shock on touching it,.
He was at length able to take two or three
sips when suddenly raising himself up in
he'd, and speaking very rapidly, he said he
was choking, and cried out for door 10 he
! opened hut no sooner was this done, than
he exclaimed, "Oh hut-shut-shut-the
( air, the cold air-I cannot bear it," He
shortly afterwards took some morphine drop
ped on sugar. In few minutes more, ne
called for one of his friends, and requested
him 20 hold his head that he might try 10
sleep. Mr.. Miller complied but in about
three minutes afterwards he was seized
with a spasm, accompanied by horrid and
terrific distortion of countenance. Mr.. Mil
( Ter rushed from the bed in an agony of hor-
ror, and had only strength sufficient to tell
Mr.. Mccullough to take his place. Instant
| ly Mr.. Hervey jumped in bed, crying to his
horror struck and almost paralyZed friends,
a. see you, boys-I see you, boys!" and
1 then, as it were, mastering his excruciating
agony by powerful effort, he continued in
a calm but scarcely less terrific tone, g 1t is
/ all over--call the house-send for doctor"
His friends gaZed in speeches. horror for a
| few seconds and the silence was at last
I broken by the unfortunate sufferer, who, OBJ
serving that they were making movement
| as if to leave the room, called out, Miller,
Miller, do not leave me-be man; It's over,
and am again quite collected; do not he
| acknowledgment on it | will not harm
! you." His friends being somewhat recov-
cred from their fright, asked where the neL
slept. He Immediately answered "above
stairs" and desired Mr.. NJ. to call them.
\ When that gentleman left the room, Mr..
Hervey said to Mr. Mccullough thnt he
would come ont ofthe he'd. This Mr.. M'Cul-
Tough protested agsinst; and the other i'm
mediately replied, You are right, bat for
Gods sake do not leave me. am perfectly
in my senses but oh ! that dreadful moment
is beyond the power Of man to bear. If you
leave me, cannot prevent myselfirom jump
ing out of the window. He then became
perfectly calm, and made several beautiful
prayers, and then asked Mr.. Reid, young
f clergyman who was present, and Of whom
he expressed very high opinion, to pray
with him. This was Immediately complied
with.
The fits now became more frequent, and
he requested Mr.. Mccullough and Mr.. Mil
Ter to hold his hands. Every attack now
continued longer, and appeared more severe.
At about half past one o'clock, he said he
felt curious sensation-it was in his limbs
+ as if he were pricked with the finest needles
a pricking, ms if the finest silver-barhed ar
rows were darting through every portion Of
his holy; he said, it was altogether "A most
delightful sensation. His nerves became
most sensitive. The least noise in the room
a change in the light of candle-the NOV
ing of shadow on the wall-a relaxation
or compression OF the hands of those that
, held him, gave him the most excruriatino
pain. and he wonld exrlaim. with a heart
rending voire, that it was cruel so TO use
him. Shortly after this, the saliva began 10
make noise in his throat; he lost his voice
but he showed, 10y significant gestures, that
he was perfectly aware of all that was
passing around him. AS the fits came on
him, he appeared to place himself in that
position as if he wished to rest on his head
and heels, while his body moved quickly up
T and down, accompanying such motion with
an agonizing groan. These fits ut length
ceased, and he lay from 10 to Is minutes so
still that all except those in the bedroom
with him supposed he was either dead or
dying. Suddenly, with a voire loud and
strong, AS If in perfect health, he exclaimed,
here boys, do your duty The awful mo-
ment which he had dreaded, AMI vainly
hoped to escape, had come. He instantly
became dreadfully convulsed; every musrle
was distended to the utmost stretch, while
the spasms, commencing at the stomach,
seemed TO roll up like large mass to his
throat, where the breath ratified hideously.
as if vainly seeking vent Mr.. Mccullough
and Mr.. Miller Immediately seized his wrist,
while the Rev. Mr.. Reed laid himself down
across him. He struggled dreadfully, and
appeared to wish 10 get himself out Of bed
He screamed with the most appalling agony.
and called for DR.. O'Neal to cut his iugular