The Republican journal., 1874-07-23
The Horrors of Hydrophobia.

NEW Yols1. July T. The excitement
and apprehension caused by the various
eases OF hydrophobia or its counterfeit that
have occurred here have been heightened
by the death OF Willie McGinnis at Belle
yue Hospital The dog which bit the boy
was not examined by an expert, and il is
was rahid or not, though the reported
symptoms seemed to indicate that it was
\ genuine case lie ran along the street
his tongue hanging from his mouth from
which the water ran in strear,S At every
few steps he would raise his head and snap
right and LETT. his jaws coming together
with n sharp click. The wound inflicted
upon Young McGinnis was at 4 right
angle 20 his mouth. the flesh being lacera-
ted from halt TO thrce-quarterS OF an inch.
The wound apparently healed however,
and the boy continued in tolerable health
until last Wednesday. On the afternoon
of that day he had been exercising violent
ly, playing horse, and his body had been
very much ovcr-heated When he came
into the house about , o'clock a slight
tWitching of the muscles of his face and
limbs was noticed. His stomach had been
out of order for two weeks. and his COM
plant was attributed to this cause, SO a
few mild remedies We're administered.
Toward evening he became more excited.
He moved his lips constantly, rolling his
tongue as If to clear the tenacious saliva
which he spat out every few minutes. The
next morning he was much worse, all the
symptoms being aggravated. He frequent
ly burst out crying without any seeming
reason. These fits We're very violent, and
were followed by heavy sobs that shook
his whole body. The least thing fright
cned him When Il fly buzzed near lie
would shout "murder.' and seem in the
utmost fear. He was admitted to the
hospital Friday morning, and DR.. Murray
pronounced his case hydrophoba. The
bows countenance was anxious, and he
had that peculiar frightened expression
that was so noticeable in Mccormick lie
was very excitable. and spasms were
nearly continuous from the moment he
entered the hospital. His pupils We're
widely dilatcd, thcugh there was Il very
bright light in ihc room This feature OF
every case seems to be a'marked,symptom.
lie constantly spat ont the increased
saliva thai rapidly collected. The skin
was Very hot. particularly at the eXtremi-
ties. and his whole body was bathed in 2
protllse pcrspiraton. lie did not suffer
any pain, however, according TO his own
statements at intervals when his mind was
clear A large dose of solution of morphia
was injected under the skin, but seemed
to have no effect in qnietng him or in ai-
iechng the pupil of the eye. which re-
manned dilated until death Even chloro-
torn pnt him into only II scml-consrious
state, though his death was qniel. An
autopsy was then held. After taking of
| the top of the skull the membranes ap-
| peareI conGested All the blood vessels
were greatly enlarged. and this appear
| ance was even more marked in the cere-
| bellnm, which lies at the back of the brain
proper, and upon the top Of the spinal
cord, where the fibres meet and intcrlace,
and from which the great nerves of life
and motion originate This part and the
membranes covering it We're also inhamed
The brain substance showed signs of IN
| fiammation This was different from Me
Cormick's brain, which was in the main
healthy The inside of the throat was tilleC
with that tenacious, trothy mucus which
had troubled him from the beginning o
the attack. The stomach, lungs, heart
liver and other viscera were generally
much congested. The parts that may re
veal structural changes when vieweo
under the microscope were carefully dis
sected out and placed in alcohol and ict
to harden. These structural changes, i
found identical with those in the McCor
mick case, would add another link to th'
chain of the evidence of a true lesson il
hydrophohla