Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-08-01
How it Feels to have HydrOphObia.

Under the significant title, Revelations
of Madman," Il scientific Journal Of Paris
publishes an account as interesting to the
public as to the scientific world. \ man
worthy of all confidence, bitten by mad
dog, and who has suffered all the spasms
of madness, relates his Suifcrings, and how
he was cured We take up the recital at
the commencement Of the hallucination
81 was surprised to see appear, from a
black cabinet, people who spoke to me;
then enormously long rats ran along the
furniture, always by the side. The illusion
was such that at first often changed my
position to convince myself whether it was
an illusion or reality Afterward falling
stars appeared at moment when least
expected them, always from the internal to
the external angle of the eye, which forced
me instinctiyely to turn my head. Stimuli
taneously was seized with q trembling of
the skin and feeling Of unspeakablc horror.
In the place of darkness, or during the
night, my room appeared Illuminated as by
Il flash Of lightning. At last, seeing that
nothing would arrest this mysterious agent,
/ had recourse IT, the Ddtura Str0moniunt,
or thorn-applc of Peru. A Catholic mis-
sionary had Informed me of its wonderful
efficacy fifteen years ago. | took strong
dose OF it, four or five leaves, and commenced
to write, although with some difficulty.
Half an hour after, the remedy had not
taken effect, when suddenly strong electric
CONFUSION, like fireworks, or, rather, like
puff Of steam, ran through all my limbs,
from head to foot, producing in the entire
surface of the skin general trembling and
sensation of heat, accompanied by a DISPOSE
ton to fly and an ndetinablc feeling of ter
Tor. 1t seemed to me had fireworks in my
eyes. | rcboundcd, as if impclcd by u
spring. 1t scented to me was engaged in
deadly combat between the vital and NOR
bid principles, the latter Of which cndeay-
orcd to impose itself tyranncaly like a dom
mating power, against which all the active
forces reacted with a supcrhuman energy.
At the same moment became dclirious and
lost all consciousness.
The patient retains in the dclirium the
dominant idea Of restraining himself. and Of
cndeayorIng to rcpo>scSS his faculties.
Nevertheless, in thiS state the commissions
become more free, ucnt. They are always ac-
compan!Cd with the same sentiment of fear,
and the necessity Of reaction and flight
The muscular force is prodigiously increased; !;
he is without fatigue; the weight of the
body is no impeachment to the limbs; it
seems only necessary to make the attempt,
to skim over the earth as in certain dreams.
The contraction pl the muscles of the legs
causes a Sudden fall, when he becomes per-
tcctly rigid. lie realizes that'hc has fallen
when he is rcStOl cd to consciousness by the
shock Of the fail, and he arises quickly.
The nervous excitement is such that he Is
very nearly mscnSiblc to pain. The figures
OF the most familiar persons appear furious,
threatening and provoking; and, contrary
to the general sentiment Of terror which one
feels internally from conclusions, one is in
trcpid and ready to brave all exterior dam
gers. The parox}sms commenced at $50
o'clock in the afternoon. At 10 O'Clock in
the evening the remedy began to take effect,
and the next day only Il great prostration
was felt. The invalid attributed all the
phenomena Of the delirium to the gas pro-
duccd in the organic tissues by the influence
of the virus.