Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-06-27

Remarkable sickness. Died, in this place NAV
25h Mr.. Samuel Harrington, aged SO years und
On the same day, Nancy, his wife, aged So years.
The circumstances attending the death of these
Two persons very remarkable in their Charac-
ter and we have endeavorcd TO collect them with
some accuracy. MIR. Harrington was The under
taker sexton, Of the town. On the 23d of A pril,
thirty five days previous 20 his death, he buried
person who died of eryspelas,-a very bad and
Malignant case. While adjusting the head of the
corpse in the coffin, he got sotne Of the matter
from the deceased person into slight cut in the
ball of one Of his thumbs, made with n glass few
days previous. Shortly atterward she experienced a
sensation of heat aud smarllng in the wound Very
soon, erysipeas distinctly manifested itself about
the cut. The wound began to inhame, and the
hand to swell, the swelling extending up the arm
to the shoulder; and the patient III the mean
time, suffering no great pain. The arm soon
commenced discharging profusely, and continued
so to discharge down 10 the time of his death
when nearly The whole of the cellular membrane
had soughed away through large openings in the
skin
Mrs. Harrington took care of her husband ill
the 9th Of May when she was confined to her
bed by sickness She had at first II slight fever
In The course of two or three days, disease SINH
lar 10 that with which her husband was affected
manifested itself on one of her ancIcs, and soon
involved the whole of the lower part of that limb;
and about the same time, there II similar man
Hesitation of disease upon her wrist, which soon
| involved nearly the whole OF the arm to the ell
how. While suffering under the disease, she
died In the case Of Mrs Harrington, no fractures
of the skin discovered OH the places, where
the disease first manifested itself.
After The confinement OF the mother by sick
| ness daughter took care of The father. On the
| l5h Of May, she experienced sensation of heat
aud snarting, similar TO that ut first experienced
| by her father, in slight scratch which she dis
covered near the first joint, the inside of one of
! her fingers. The disease extended it-ef did
her fathers, to the arm but by the timely app.
cation OF efficient remedies, the progress OF the
dlsease is apparently arrested; and SHE is believed
now TO he out of danger.
Whether this disease is contagious hat i5
| whether il may he communicated 10y touch, or in
oculaton, or whether it is infectious, that is,
whether il may be communicated by being in, or
breathing the air exposed 10 the influence of the
disease, or, whether it is both contagious and in
teclious, are questions upon which physicians
have entertained, and still do entertain opposite
opinions. While doctors IRE dsagreeng, aud en-
deayorng to maintain iavorlte theories, those who
have not the light Of medical scence 10 guild,
Them, will he very likely upon such facts as these
10 come to The conclusion, that the disease may be
communicated by incubation, at lei.st. And, il
this opinion should so far prevail, as to lead per
sons TO exercise proper caution, while taking
care of those affected with the disease, no mis-
chief can result from it, even if the opinion SHOULD
nor be well founded. Worcester .4egis.