The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-08-28
The Case Of Hydrophsbia--A Physician's
Statement.

We published recently an account of a case
OF this horrible disease, in RoxbGry, Massa-
chusetts. The following statement will be
read with interest. Ii Is from the pen of DIR.
Windship, the father OF the young American
samson"
"Mr. Thomas Dascomb well known to our
citizens as the proprietor of the hat and bon-
net bieachery In Webster Block, was bitten
June Sth by favorite pointer. On the day
following he sent for me, not as he expressed
himself, that he had any idea that the dog was
rabid, but because the region of the wound
this wrisD was painful The dog, he said,
was cross, the effect of a recent severe whip
pir &, and had that very day bitten a young
man who had previously inflicted punish-
ment. The friends of Mr.. Dascomb were very
anxious to have the dog killed immediately.
To this l demonstrated, unless he and his
friends were fully satisfied that the dog was
not mad, be and they might be in fearful state
of apprehension fer along period.
my odsiee TO him was to put the dog into
secure place, where he could have food and
water passed to him withou danger, and keep
and watch him sufiicient length of time to
be satisfied as to his freedom from hydro
phobia. This course was adopted, but the
place of confinement "a dark celiar-was i'm
proper, both in regard to the health of the
animal and for means Of convenient observa.
tons. Within ten days the dog died, and, as
Mr.. Da- comb said to me ia bseQuently, he had
no doubt from poison secretly administer
or else from the effects of the severe beating
and subsequent cellar confinement The
wounds upon his wrist healed gradually un.
der the treatment indicated, and to me he ex-
pressed himself in no fear OF hydrophobia
''Op the tn instant, at A. NJ. about eight
weeks subsequently to the day on which he
was bitten, was summoned to visit Mr.. Das-
como. found him upon the bed in half re.
elining position, his eyes protuberant and
glaring, countenance anxious, voice husky
and tremulous, pulse one hundred and thirty.
tongue dry, but not much furred. A first
n m m q haf tsa
was sealed. To my inquiry respecting his
case, he quickly pointed to the scar upon his
left wrist, and said with emphasis, "This,
doctor, VIII end me-" endeavored to modify
his prediction by encouraging words and man.
ner, and proceeded to interrogate him as to
his symptoms. He stated that the previous
night he felt some pain and stiffness in the
wrist, and darling pains from the wound, ex-
tending up the arm to the chest. 81 have now
Also" said he, "a dizzy pain In the head, and,
doctor, have been perfectly unable to swal-
low since two O'Clock this morning"
"Wishing to discover how far the existing
symptoms as described by him might be as
cribed to what is termed nervous excitement,
the result of long apprehension, 1 said to him,
My dear sir, can hardly believe that you
have really lost the ability to swallow Sup.
posing you should sit up in bed and take a 1t
tie of this tea. Come now,' said /, sit up and
try rith DiH and have no doubt but you
will succeed
s"He did as desired, seemed to summon all
exclaimed, Now, doctor, give me the tea.' He
received the cup, passed 1t rapidly to his lips,
made vigorous attempt to swallow, failed,
the liquid was elected, and he sank back ex-
hausted. was now fully confirmed in my
primary opinion, and this 1 in mediately i'm
parted 10 his family.
1t seems unnecessary, and would be stil
more painful to the rsader, to describe mi
nutely the distressing charac .eristics of this
awful malady. Let it suffice, then, to state
that the progress of the disease was marked
by the alienation of drowsiness, spasms, start
ing, shuddering at the sound or mention of
liquids, frothy mucous expec toration, spas
modic groaning, not unlike the half-suppressed
bark of dog; traversing the bed upon the
hands and knees, accompanied with paving
motion of the hands at the bed clio thing, and
hiding the face i'll them. The expression Of
his countenance was such as have never wit
messed before, nor can language portray.
"On Sunday morning at half past eleven a
violent conyulson occurred which, at IL M
thirty-six hours from the primary attack-ter-
minated in happy release by death. The
treatment consisted mainly in administering
anodynes by enema and simultaneously, aud
with decided although temporary relief The
smell, or sight even, of ether or chloroform,
would tantly induce spasm."