The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-06-01
aYDRopHoBn AT WHOLESALE.
What Dog Did In Chicago Thirteen
Persons Under Sentence of Death
Two OF the Victims Already Dead.

About nine days ago a rabid dog was
killed on Star street, after he had
bitten thirteen persons. One OF the
victims, named Frank Becker, thirteen
years old, who resided with his parents
on Orchard street, died about two
weeks ago in the most intense agony.
During the boys sickness Herman Van
derbasoh, sewing machine agent, liv-
ing and doing business at No. 5S1 LAR
rabee street, who had also been bitten
by the same dog, went TO see him. He
took great interest in the case, and
said, upon his return home, after
Becker's death, "That Is the way I
shall go shortly" He was greatly hor-
rifed, and, being q Catholic, commen-
ced to make his peace with God, and
TO prepare for death. His fate seemed
to occupy his mind continually to the
exclusion Of oil other subjects, although
he attended TO his business upto about
q week ago, when he manifested de-
cided symptoms OF hydrophobia, and
took to his bed. A short time previous
to this Vanderbasch had expressed o de-
sire TO visit ST. Hubert, In Belgium,
where the Catholics have q superstiti.
GUS belief that the hydrophobia can be
cured by q touch from any Of the sur
roundings but no could not raise the
necessary amount Of money to make
the journey. He became prey 10 the
most morbid imagination, and at the
time OF taking his bed he was SO
wrought up with excitement that he
could not bear even the indirect men.
tion OF water,
When il became necessary for him Ia
drink he would instruct his family Ia
bring him o cup Of water, and would
turn his back to them while he took II
from behind, and then shutting his
eyes, he would swallow the fluid OF a
gulp. Strangulation would immedi-
ately follow, and in the retchings he
would spit blood from his lungs.
AT these times he would caution his
friends to keep out Of his way, and
would use the utmost care to turn his
head that the saliva might not come in
contact with their persons. He
retained his consciousness up To the
day Of his death, except when the
paroxysms were upon him, and he would
beg his people to tie him so he could
not iniure them. This was done before
the physicians were sent for.
The patient was visited by DR.. d. L.
Scheppers. who called in council Drs,
Pierce, Ulrich, Greiger and Miller. On
Friday night tho patient grew alarm
ingly worse, and o straigbt.iacket was
put upon him, confning his limbs and
rendering him harmless. Soothing
medicines were administered, but moth
ing could be done to alleviate his suf.
ferings. On Friday afternoon an old
priest called TO see him, and gave him q
relic from ST. Hubert, which lie had
brought from there twoyears ago, bear
ing the Pope's seal and certificate, writ
ten in Latin, that the charm was gen-
uine, and the poor fellow iondly be-
lieyed that the emagical piece Of brass
would certainly cure him. This had
the effect of calming him down till
toward night, and he clung to 1t with
the grasp Of despair. Butimagination,
coupled with the poisonous influence
OF the saliva inoculated into his system,
had done Its work beyond all hopes OF
reparation, and the victim died at half
past one o'clock on Sunday morning in
the most terrible writings Of agony.
The form Of death was very much the
same as that Of asphyxia, the disease
appearing 10 be in his throat and chest.
A posS.mortem examination Of his
heart, lungs, liver and stomach was
made by DR.. Scheppers, with the per-
mission Of the widow, and the lungs
wero found congested in nearly every
lobe. The heart was found nearly
sound, no clots Of blood being disccrni-
BILE, though afew punctures were yisi-
BILE. The liver was perfectly sound and
the stomach was entirely empty. The
most important part Of the subject was
left unexamined- the brain. Had that
been exposed, in all probability ii
would have been found to be in high
state Of congestion also but itwas only
with persistent urging that the family
Of deceased could be induced to give
their consent TO the examination OF the
lungs, aud the doctor was forced to re-
main in ignorance rs to the state Of the
brain and also OF the bowels. fi
As the form Of the dead man lay In its
coffin II presented q most horrible spec.
tacle. The eyes were staring, as they
had been before his death, the pupils
dilated to the utmost capacity, the
hands clinched and the limbs cramped.
Deceased was Hollander, forty.two
years Of age, and leaves o wife and
Tour children to mourn his loss. He
was always very temperate in his habits
ill within the last ten days, when he
.ook to drinking, as he said, to forget
he great trouble. There Is not the
ihadow OF a doubt that Imagination
vas the chief cause Of his death at this
iime, though the poison which was in.
titled into his system might have woke
INTO activity at any other time, He
lad felt no effects Of the bite until he
the suferings and death OF
he boy Becker, and then itwould seem
10 worried himself into the same con
lition, and the excitement brought on
Of the lungs and brain.
There arc eleven persons who were
'itten at the time by the Same dog,
nd II Is possible that all may share q
imilar fate with Becker and Wander
,asch, unless they iet their good sense
riumph over their ,superstitious imagi-
lation. II has been said TINT o French
Ihysician Of Paris discovered that Rus.
ian or yapor baths were almost 0 sure
ure for this disease, II taken before
ongestion Is brought on. The poor
ictims Of the rabid animal will doubt.
sss leave no rock unturued till they
ave found the mad stone which will