The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-10-28
Death from Hydro Gphobia.

The Buffalo Erpres gives the particulars
Of the recent death OF Mr.. l.. Myers, by
hylrophobia. He had been slightly scrat.
ched on the finger by his dog in june last.
which died the next day, The Express adds.
"On Sunday last, Myers became very
thirsty, prcicrring ice To water This ap
pears to have been the frs: symptom Of the
disease, although himself or the family had
no suspicion Of hydrophobin. His thirst and
il-teeling increasing he went to a physician,
and described his feelings to hm.-Thc ply
sician asked him if he had been bitten by
dog, to which Myers replied that he had not,
having entirely forgotten the circumstances
related above, with his own dog. In the
night, however, the facts seemed to come to
his recollection and hc called his wifi, and
rcmi ndcd her of them. After this he went
into spasms, and would eat ice as fast ms it
could be fed to him. On offering him water
his teeth would shut with force, as if by
spasm.
"a number of physicians visited him, and
after a consultation, it was decided TO try the
experiment of making an incsion into the
windpipc, to reach the disease, supposed in
all cases to center in that locality. Myers
was also anxious that it should be done,
when informed that a case in England had
been successfully treated in that manner.
The incision was made, and the remedies ap-
piled. The disease was not arrested on tn;
contrary, the spasms became dreadful and
his sIiI.rings apparently were Of the most
evcruciating character, until his great
strength oycrpcwcrcd his attendants ard
danger Of receiving injury from him required
the aid Of five persons, and sometimes Sc.
ven, to keep him IN his room and upon his
bed He would in his agony make attempts
to bite those around him. They were at
length compelled to bind him with strong
ropes TO his bed, about eight O'Clock in the
evening. He begged that they would not do
this; but il was deemed proper for tho safety
Of those around His suifirings continued
until o'clock the following morning, Ohe
lsth,) when he died. About an hour before
his death hc became sane, and wished to see
his wife She was called, and soon itcr he
sank into a stupor, in which situation he
continued until he brcathod bis last,
We have said once or twice in the Globe
what will bear being said once or twice
more, howcycr-that in England the opinion
has been advanced lately by some medical
men, that the dis asc called hydrophobia s
not produced By the bite Of mad dog or by
the bite OF any raJil animal; and that such
an idea deserves to be classed with other
vulgar errors. The opinion everywhere en-
| tertaincd-in every country where hydro
phobia is known is lust the reverse Of this,
we believe; that is, that that disease is eau
scd by the bite Of a rabid animal invariably,
and has no c&.st-Rcc, except from this
! cause.
/ AZ all events, such Is the theory universal
[ " received in this country, if we mistake
/ not, by all professional persons, and by all
, aymen. Nevertheless, thing occurred in
( London in July last, that well merits consi-
deraton in this connection if true end true
or not, it was solgmnly and officially certified
/ to be SO.
\ patient in one Of the hospitals died Of
/ hydrophobia, which was traced TO the bite Of
mad dog, as it was thought; but upon a
/ thorough investigation il turned out that the
dog was in perfect health, and had not been
otherwise, aud certainly had not been mad.
! This was certified to by the deputy register
I genera. Suw, II there is no mistake, and no
/ Justification in this matter, this fact appa-
rcntly an isolated, one, strongly iayors the
opinion Of the non.hydrophobists.- - Wash.
. Gl9J.