The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-04-18
NO.. A..
Distressing Case of Hydrophobia.
(From the Indianapolis Journal.l


Some eight weeks ago Miss Selma FL
ier, an Intelligent young lady of twenty
two years, daughter of Mr.. Harvey Eller,
residing at Beek's Station, on the Peru
railroad, IN Hamilton county, some fifteen
miles north of this city, was bitten by
rabid dog while she was endeavoring to
drive him out to the house The wound
was on the inger. and so very slight that
it excited 30 alarm, although the dog was
known to be mad. As usual in cases of
hydrophobia. she thought nothing more
about the matter until the morning of
Monday, the 25th ultirlo, when on going
to wash her face, the touch of the water
made her shudder," as she described it.
The fearful truth flashed on her instantly,
but being lady Of great selfcommand,
she simply said to her sister Il am going
to 90 mad l can't live," adding that she
would, however, finish spinning the rolls"
she was engaged upon. She worked on
during the day, with some increase Of
the horrible symptoms, bat nothing visi-
BILE to others and the next morning. on
sitting down to the table, she remarked
to the family You must take that wa
ter from the table. or l can't eat any,
thing She ate but little, and got up,
saying she would go to work again. She
continued through that day as before,
but with decided repugnance to water,
of which, she said, 1.-The very sight sent
tinglug feeling all through her" She
also complained that the glistening face
of the clock affected her 10 the same way.
On Wednesday she was too far overcome
to work, and while standing on the floor
speaking to some Of her family she be-
gan grinding her teeth, and directly fell
down in fit, the foam working out of
her mouth, her teeth gnashing, and her
fbody frishtfuIly convulsel. Some Of the
younger children, who were with her at
the time, ran out in great alarA, and the
neighbors hurrying In found her on the
floor near the fire, in the same terrible
condition, but she bit SD furiously at every
one who touched her that it was impossi-
BILE to do anything with her. The FIRE
was removed SO that she might not injure
herself by it and she was left lying until
the spasm had passed off. She Was then
placed upon the bed, and DR.. Rocker
called in. When he arrived she was
again couvulsed aud senseless, uttering
short, barking sounds, aud swapping at
everything atapproached her. A bloody
froth was constantly issuing from her
mouth, v hich she tried to spit at those
around her. He caused her to be tied
down In the bed, and proceeded to ad-
minister morphine to relieve her agony.
In a lucid interval she demonstrated, say
| 81 I -. I
to die in my senses, so don't stupify me
with medicine" After another fit, the
doctor proposed another does OF morphine,
and at last she consented, but added -
You must give it to me with water
But this remedy produced little effect
The awful paroxsyms continued, with the
same irightful suggestions of doggish
sound and the same frantic efforts to bite.
| She bit her hands terribly. aud bit pieces
out of the pillow and bed clothes. Dr..
| A. q. Ruddle was also called in. but his
assistance was as unavailing as that of
| DR., Rocker. This, we believe was the
next day, Thursday; but at all events on
that day DR.. Rocker determined to try
the effect of bromide Of potassium. which
had been recommended by some Euro
pean physician in cases of hydropho5ia
DIR. Ruddle happened to have small
quantity with him it was at once admin
| istered, aud the treatment has been stead
lily kept up since, till yesterday nearly
two ounces had been given The symp-
toms continued with little or no apparent
abatement till Sunday or yesterday, when
they were considerably less marked. The
fits occurred less frequently and with less
severity The unfortunate lady had ceased
biting herself, and had sufficient kuowl-
edge of her situation to wrap her arms
up tightly in the bed clothes when she
telt the spasm coming on, to keep them
out of danger. Though very far from be,
ing out OF danger, the abatement of the
symptoms has been so decided as to create
some hope of her recovery, which, if rea-
lized, will make this one of the most re-
markable cases on record