The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-08-16
Shocking Termination to a Marriage IN
France

A frightful case of hydrophobia is described
In the Lyons journals, which, if the facts
correctly stated, would go to prove that this
fatal malady can remain in the system as long
as four years. without development.
A young farmer, named Peyron. about 25
years of age, in the department of the Rhine.
was married few weeks ago to a neishbor's
daughter. The young couple had been long
attached 10 each other; but the parents of the
bride had refused their consent on account OF
the strangeness of conduct occasionally OBJ
served in the young man, who otherwise
a most desirable match, his parents being com
paratively we'll off, and the son himself gen
orally of exemplary conduct. His passion for
the girl became at length violent that he
could not exist without her. and his mother
fearing from his manner that he meditated su-
icide, went to the parents OF the young wo
man, and after some entreaty, prevailed upon
them TO agree to the match.
Young Peyron at once recovered LIS spir-
its, the young woman was delighted. and the
marriage was celebrated with all the rustic
pomp and ceremony common In that part of
the provinces, concluding with grand din
ner and the inevitable ball The gaiIies Were
kept up until daylight, when the company
separated. The new married couple Were
lodged in one wing of the farm house, sepa
rate from the main building; but in short
time after they had retired, cries were heard
from the nuptial chamber
At first they were unnoticed; but at length
they increased TO fearful shrieks; and the faith
er and mother, alarmed, fastened TO the room
followed by the farm servants The cries
We're by the time they arrived, changed 20
Scarcely audible groans from the poor girl;
and on breaking open the door she was found
in the agonies of death-her bosom torn open
and lacerated IN the most horrible manner,
and the wretched husband in III Of raying
madness, and covered with blood, having &C
tualy devoured portion of the unfortunate
girls breast.
A cry of horror burst forth from all pres
ent, and he was dragged from the room after
a most violent resistance it taking no less than
six men to hold him down. Aid was instant
ly sent for, and before the doctor could reach
the spot, the unhappy victim was no more
Young Peyron was put under treatment, and
a strait-wastcoat was attempted to be put
upon him; but his struggles and screams
were such that the Doctor, apprehensivc that
he should expire in his assistants hands. or
dered them to desst The unfortunate man
had by this time became so weak that he was
easily conveyed to bed, and died at o'clock
in the afternoon of tie same day without hay
ing for one moment recovered his conscious
ness.
1t was then recolIected, in answer to search
ing questions by physician, that somewhere
sfisa ae EeaYEs Y9 previously he had been bitten
the dog was killed 1t had never peeu satl olaoe 70
rilv shown that it really mad; and no Ill
consequences resulting from the bite his
friends concluded that it would come to no
thine. and the incident had been altogether
forgotten.
It was considered by the doctor that the cir
cumstances preceding the marriage and the
excitement of the occasion itself had reused
the latent virus, which had SO long lam dor
mant in the blood, and led to the terrible out
break of frenzy which had ended 50 tragica!-
ly. On the medical report being laid before
the authorities the extraordinary nature OF the
case naturally excited much attention, and
considerable controversy-the opinions OF the
the heads Of the profession being, after full
inquiry, that there was no hydrophobla what
ever in the case, but rooted insanity, and 1t
was shown to exist by the occasional aberra-
tons OF the unfortunate young man as before
mentioned and that this diseased temperament
and too violent passions, powerfully acted on
by the circumstances, led to the iataI colise-
c,,lcnces narrated above.
This sad catastrophe has given rise to
fierce medical controversy IN some OF the pro-
fessional Journals on the nature of hydropho-
bia. from which it would appear that, although
instances of remarkable cures OF this trlghtiul
malady are often described In the Journals, no
authenticated account of lis favorable termin-
alton is vet known n France,-Londo" Morn
ing Chronicle,