The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-11-25
Observation-Disclosures Terrible Case
i'm Central Kentucky.
From the Lexington Observer and Reporter
November 20,

From the Lexington Observer and Reporter.
November 20.
our city on Thursday was the scene Of
one of those hcart-rending occurrences, a
death by hydrophobia. The victim Of the
fearful malady was young man by the
name of John Alexander, son of Mr.. J. W.
Alexander, who formerly kept confec-
tionery on Limestone street between Main
and Short. The particulars of the sad case
are most distressing.
The Young man had been bitten by q
rahid dog as long ago as the night of the
10th of last August. While walking along
Third street Il dog ran out of M alley. and,
without even premontorv bark, silently
but fiercely seized him by the calf Of the
leg, biting clear through the boot. Mr..
Alexander succeeded in kicking him off, but
he came at him again, and hit his hand, the
teeth meeting through it. He did not know
at the time that 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 quick
", and he thought no more about the mat
ter until last Tuesday night, when, after
being initiated y member Of the Ashland
Lodge of Good Templars, he experienced,
on taking drink Of water, most singular
and unpleasant feeling in his throat, but he
soon got over it. He was troubled with no.
Thing more unpleasant until Wednesday
afternoon Mt about O'Clock, when, on
again attempting to take n glass of water,
he found that he could not drink. He then
immediately suspected the cause Of his
icknesS. and determined to fully test it.
he tried to force water into his mouth with
L spoon, but his arm gave spasmodc jerk,
sending the spoon flying through the air,
and he fell back unnerved and wild and
Il oGa ,,ft l,., RI
and the horrible certainty Of his rapidly
approaching fate.
lie was confined to his bed all Wednesday
night. On Thursday morning he got rapid
" worse, and continued to suffer most ter
riblv 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 slliicrin@s they had ever wit
messed. He howled, and snarled, and barkcd,
like q dog. He scratched and clawed al the
bed-clothing until it was almost torn to
shreds. SpasmS and commissions succeeded
each other, racking his tortured body and
causing him to foam at the mouth like n
wild and 'rubid animal: and in his frenzy
the veins would swell like they would burst:
md he would bark and cough As though his
lungs would be forced up, and blood would
nIsh in streams from his mouth and nos
trils. The bed on which he was held down
by strong men was saturated through ana
through with the crimson stream.
Strange to say, he was conscious nearly
the entire time, and, devoted and sclt-Sacri-
cing, he firmly insisted that none of his
1couized and weeping relatives should be
allowed to come near him, As he was afraid
ne might injurc them. His father, who had
been absent, arrived Il little while before his
death, but on being told that he had come,
ne exclaimed Don't let him see me-"
At about = o'clock his suffering became
even more intensified, and he screamed and
>hricLcd "Watcr! water. force it down
me On Death. hurry, hurry His at
acndant physicians, who had done ell i'll
their power to alleviate his suftcrings. again
administered chIorotorm most coplouslr,
md its soothing and pain-deadcning effects
anne with thrice blessed power, breaking
the force Of the last fearful moments OF sut-
i.ring, and the unfortunate victim OF that
most horrible Of all maladies. hydr"phobia,
..Scnpcd from his torturcs 1T quarter-Imsi
, O'Clock Thursday afternoon.
Mr.. Alexander WAS only nineteen years
old. had lately joined the Baptist Church,
and was known rs q most excellent ana
industrious Young man. He frequently
pointed bis finger hcayenWard Just before
he died, and declared his desire 10 be at rest.
His invalid mother and all his stricken fam
iIy have the lively >ympathies of the whole
community.