Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-06-20
Hydrophobia at Wholesale.


WHAT Doc DID IN CHICAao-THIRrREN
lhRs Ms NDER SENTENCE OF DEATH
Two or THE VICTIMS ALREADY DEAD.
10 the early part of May rabfu dog was
Killed on Star street, Chicago, after he had
oitten thirteen persons. one of the victims,
named FRANK Becker, thirteen years old,
who resided with his parents on Orchard
street, died soon in the most intense agony
during the boys sickness Herman Van
deroasch, sewing machine agent, who had
also been bitten by the same dog, went to
see him. lie took great interest in the case.
ana SAID, upon his return home sfter Beck.
er's death, That is the way shall go short
~. lie was greatly horrilied, and, being a
catholic. commenced to make his peace
with GOD, ana to prepare for death. His
isto seemed TO occupy his mind continually
10 'he exclusion of all other subjects, al
though he attended to his business when be
manifested decided symptoms of hydropho-
bia and took TO his bed A short lime pre-
vIous 10 TINS Nanderbasch had expressed
desire 10 VISIT St II Hubert,in Belgium where
the tdthoIlcs have superstitious belief
that the bydrophobia can be cured by a
touch from any OF the surroundings; but be
could not raise The necessary amount OF
| money to make the journey. He became
| prey In tho most nor bid Imagination. and
al Inc time OF ing his bed he as wrought
| up with excitement that he Gould not bear
| even the Indirect mention Ct water.
| When 1t became necessary tor him TO
| drink he would instruct his family TO bring
MN cup OF water, and would turn his
| back To them While he took II from behind,
and then shutting his eyes, he would swal.
| low lhs Hud al gulp. Strangulatio8
would immediately follow and in the retch-
ings he would spit blood from his lungs
| AT these times he would caution his
| friends TO keep out of his way, and would
use TIE utmost care to turn his head that
tho saliva might not come in contact with
| their persons lie retained hi= conscion.
| moss np tn tha day OF his death, except when
| the paroxysms were npon him, he would
beg his people To lie hln so he could not
| injure them. This was done before the
physicians were sent for,
| one night the patient grew alarmiugly
| worse, and a straight Jacket was put upon
| him, ,connniug his limbs and rendering nim
harmless. Soothing medicines were admin.
| Is.ered, but nothing could be done TO allie
viate bis Suiierings. In the afternoon
old priest had called IN see him, and gave
him relic from st. Hubert, which he had
brought from there two years ago, bearing
tho Popes seal aui certificate, written in
Latin, that the charm WAS genuine, and the
poor fellow believed that The magical piece
OF brass would cure him. This had the Ell
tect ot calming him down till toward night
and he chung To II with the grasp OF despair
But Imagination, coupled with the poison
Gus influence oi the saliva lnocnlsted into
hi stem, had done ITS work beyond all
hope ot reparation, and the victim lied III
half past one O'Clock the next morning in
the most terrible writings OF agony
The form OF death was very much the same
rs that or asphyXi the disease appearing to
be in his throat and chest. 4 post -mortem ex-
animation of his heart, lungs, liver and stom-
ach was made and the lungs were found con-
geSted in every lobe. The heart was found
, nearly sound, no clois OF blood being discern
, ble, though 4 few punctures were visible.
The liver was perfectly sound and the stom-
: ach was entirely empty. The most important
part of the subject was left unexamined-the :
brain. Had that been exposed i'll all prOba-
bility it would have been found to be in high
state Of congestion also but it was only with
persistent urging that the family OF the deceas-
ed could be induced to give their consent to
the examination of the lungs and the doctor
, was forced to remain in ignorance as to the
, state of the brain and also of the bowels,
As The form of the dead maniay in its colin
it presented most horrible spectacle. The
; eyes were staring, as they had been before his
death, the pupils dllated to the utmost capa-
{ city, the hands cenched AMI the limbs cramp
n ed,
D Deceased was n Hollander forty-two years
g of age, and leaves a wife and four children ~
| mourn his loss. lie was also very temper
ate in his habits till within his last ten days
when he took 10 drinking, as he said 10 forget
= the great trouble. There is not a shadow OF
doubt that imagination was the chief cause
of his death at this time, though The poison
which was iusrilled into activity at any other
time He had felt no effects of The bite until
0 he witnessed the sufferings of the boy Becker
g and then it would seem lie worried himself in
Q 10 the same condition and the excitement
, drought on congestion of the lungs and the
. brain.
. There are eleven persons who were bitter
at the time by the same dog, and it is possible
that they all may share similar fate will
Becker and Nanderbasch, ualess they let thei
good sense triumph over their Supersiitiou
- Ilmaginaiions. 1t has been said that Frencl
- physician of Paris discovered that Russian o
!. vapor baths were almost a sure cure for thl
4 disease If taken before congestion is brough
on. The poor victims of the rapid animal viii
/ doubtless leave no rock unturned until they
4 have found the mad zone which will heal then
e of their malady.