Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-12-01
Death by IIydrophobia.

leaving n scar, and although he occasionally com
plained Of pain in the arm, II was not until Sun |
day, 9Th Of November, that he paid much ntten-
ton 10 H. lie took warm bath and bathed the |
arm in alcohol on that day, and on Monday |
TOOK another bath Tuesday morning. and felt
better. On Tuesday afternoon, about O'Clock,
the first dreadful spasm seized him, caused by
seeing q glass Of water. lie felt that his time
had come, and that death in its most horrible
form was approaching His spasms continued
10 increase in violence up to a short time before
his DEATH aud the Courier, from which we derive
these facts states that they finally became so
fighuully violent, MS almost TO pass belief Of the
powers Of the human frame IL required the
constant and united strength Of eight men to re-
strain him. Chl6roiorm was administered with
considerable success, and he was able to drink
small portion Of water, bat his spasms continued,
until be finally sunk away, exhausted, in death.
He was in full possession Of bis reason, except
when in his aqonics. The thought Of water, or
Of any liquid, suggested by the sight Of any thing
used for their conveyance, would instantly in
duce the spasms. 1t is one Of the most distress
ing cases OF which we have ever seen any &C.
count-Spriaafeh Republican.
Scarcely paper comes to us that does not
contain some instance Of hydrophobia, like the
above. 1t does not seem to be confined 10 any
locality, climate, or season. In the winter as
well as the summer, and equally in cold and
warm climates, do we hear Of this most horrible
Of all maladies.
Last winter, there was an unusual number Of
rabid dogs, and many deaths from their poison.
Several occurred in Massachusetts, nc ir the
neighborhool Of Springfield, and one or more
we believe in Worcester; in New York. they
werc Of almos; daily occurrence.
Is there moi good reason for apprehension from
the multitude Of dogs in this place? That no
recent case of abidness in dogs has occurred
here does not prove that there can be none, or
will be none. People in Lowell, previous to the
melancholy ease above narrated, also justified
themselves, probably, in keeping dogs, with the
fact that there had never been an instance Of
canine madness in their city; and the result is
before Us, in the death Of an cstimable Young
man, in the bloom, and rigor, and budding
hopes Of manhood. A death, too. compared
with which, all the toriures of the Spanish In
QUESTION were painless and happy. Who can
conceive Of the horrors Of such death, o. the
never ending, terrible torture, worse than death
itself, one mus, suffer who has once been bitten,
and lives in continual dread Of hydrophobia ?
Months and even years may pass. before the
poison shows itself, and aecomplishes its sure
and dreadful work. No antido,e or certain cure
has been discovered, and the unfortunate victim
who is once attacked, looks forward TO inoviia-
bic deaih-and such death
We remember reading, a few years ago, Of a
case Of hydrophobia at Saratoga Springs, when
the bite was asceriained TO have been twelve
years previously. In the meantime, the man
married, and had family growing up around
him. In n moment, as il were, the spasms were
upon him, and be had TO be mAnacled to prevent
his tearing with his teeth his own wife and chil.
dren. Who can paint the anguish Of the sur
yivors Of such calamity
We heard of a still more affecting case, IL pos
siblc. in the Western part Of the State of New
York. IL ~~r'a young man, soon to have beer
married. The day was appointed, and prcpa
raiions made; but, few days before be was tc
lead bride to the altar, the fatal malady ap
pearcd, and the awful reality of his doom burs
upon him. The scene between him and his af
faneed, in his lucid interyals-the agony, tn,
despair, the last adieu-were said to be heart
rending in the extreme. lie en,reated anC
begged his friends TO kill him, and put an enc
to his sufierings. Death came at last, after foul
days Of exerueiating misery, such as must b,
seen to be conceived Of The bridal garment
were changed for the habiliments of mourning
and the church that was decorated, and the houi
that was set apart, for the bridal ceremony, CAV,
/ place to the last sad Offices of affection for tn,
expected bridegroom.
In this place, there are swarms Of dogs The,
throng the streets, night and day. They ar,
useful sto no one, and pest to all. There ar,
houses in the village which persons are afraid t,
! pass and which it is actually dangerous to pass
! Little children are almost every day bitten b,
them, or thrown down and their clothes torn.
II one should become rabid, who can caculat,
the loss Of life il would occasion? And yet they
are all, at any moment as liable to become $,
here, as in other places The only marvel is
that We have escaped so longi but we have n,
guarantee for the future, and every person VIII,
walks the street at night, does it in peril.
/ - ." ioT ont 10 utCniut attached 10
domesiicated animal, and to regard a pet dog
and his own child, as better and more perfec
than all others. But let each person bring III,
case home. Suppose you were yourself the vic
tim OF hydrophoba, or feared you were bitter
by rabid dog and lived in the dreadful antici
patton OF the consequences; or suppose you
wife or child was in that situation, what valu,
would you put upon all the dogs in the village
in comparison with such fate for yourself Of
one of your family or friends? How bitter ant
unayailing the grief TO know, that some one O
your neishbors died of hydropbobia, from III,
bite of your own rabd dog Indeed, the own
ers of such dog are generally the first victims
The sickness which usually preeedes the NOR.
marked stages of the disease, excies his sympa
thy, and while he is nursing, or perhaps cares
ing his worthless pet, he is bitten, and pays tho
penalty with his life. We could wish that ev
cry family looked for a moment at this matter
as they would if one of their number was suffer
ing under this fearful malady. Ifthey did, they
would not harbor II dog, sooner than they would
a rattle-snake.