Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-11-27
HYDROPHOBIA.
4 shocking Case at Lexington, ky. -
Terrible Suffering.

Terrible Suffering
From the Lexington Observer, Nov. 20.
Our city, Thursday, was the scene of
one of those heart-rending Occurrences
death by hydrophobia. The victim of
the fearful malady was a young man by
the name of John Alexander, son of Mr..
J. W. Alexander, who formerly kept a
confectionery on Limestone street, be-
tween Mail and Short. The particulars Of
the sad case are most distressing.
The young man had been bitten by a
rabid dog as long ago as the night of the
Goth of last August. While walking
along Third street dog ran out of an
alley, and without even a Fremont
tory bark, silently but fiercely seized
him by the calf of the leg, biting clear
through the boot Mr.. Alexander sue
ceeded in kicking him off, but he came at
him again and bit his hand, the teeth
meeting through it. He did not know at
the time the dog was mad. He sought
professional advice, but was assured by
the physician that he was in no danger.
The scratches and wounds healed quickly,
and he thought no more about the matter
until last Tuesday, when, after being
initiated member of the Ashland Lodge
of Good Templars, he experienced, on
taking drink of water, a most singular
and unpleasant feeling in his throat, but
he soon got over it. He was troubled
with nothing more unpleasant until
Wednesday afternoon at about 4 O'Clock,
when, on again attempting to take glass
of water he found he could not drink. he
then Immediately suspected the cause OF
his sickness, and determined to fully test
IT, He tried to force water into his mouth
with a spoon, but his arm gave a spas
| mOdic jerk, sending the spoon flying
through the air, and he fell back unnerYed,
and wild and sick, both from the effects
of the malady and the horrible certainty
of his rapidly approaching fate.
He was confined to his bed all Wednes-
day night On Thursday morning he got
rapidly worse, and continued to suffer
most terribly till the time of his death.
| The agony he endured no words can
describe, and the physicians attending
him said his were the most fearful
suffering, they ever had witnessed.
| He howled and snarled and barked Ike a
| dog. lie scratched and clawed at the
bed clothing until it was almost torn to
| shreds. Spasms and commissions sue
| ceeded each other, racking his tortured
body, and causing him TO foam at the
mouth like a wild and rabid animal, anC
| in his frenzy the veins would swell like
they would burst, and he would bark anC
| cough as though his lungs would BIZ
| forced up, and blood would gush il
| streams from his mouth and nOstrils. The
bed on which he was held down by strong
men, was saturated through and through
! with the crimson stream.
Strange to say, he vas conscious nearly
the entire time, and, devoted and self
sacrificing, he firmly insisted that none O
his agonized and weeping relations should
be allowed to come near him, as he wa
afraid he might iniure them. His father
who had been absent, arrived little be
fore his death, but ON being told that h'
had come, he exclaimed, "DOn't let hin
see INT"
At about O'Clock his sufferings be
came even more intensified, and h
screamed and shrieked, "Waterl water
force it down mel Oh, DEATH hurry
hurry" His attendant physicians
who had done all in their powe
TO alleviate his sufferings, again admins
tered chlOrOform most copiously, and it
soothing and pain deadening effects cam
with thrice blessed power, breaking tn
force of the last fearful moments of SUI
fering, and the unfortunate victim of tina
most horrible of all maladies, hydrophO
bia, escaped from his torturer at quartz
past O'Clock, Thursday afternoon.
Mr.. Alexander was only nineteen year
old, had lately joined the Baptist Church
and was known as a most excellent an
industrious young man. He frequent
pointed his finger heavenward just befOl
he died, and declared his desire to be (
rest. His invalid mother and all h
stricken family have the lively sympathit
r of this whole community.