The Van Buren press., 1874-07-07
Hydrophobia.


class in the world, has brought the sub.
ject OF rabies prominently before the pub
lie in the East in all its horrible aspects.
The case is full Of fearful interest, and
is important in its bearings, because in
Butler we have the strongest type Of
class Of men who ignore, or affect to ig-
more, the effect of rabies, on the human
/ system, other than that resulting from
extreme nervous prostration and a dis
eased Imagination which lead TO death.
| Mr. Butler was not common dog
/ fancer, as London and New York deal
ers in dogs usually are He was man
of education, a linguist teaching the Ian
guages some years age in New York but
always lover OF dogs, and finally-pcr-
haps after finding teaching languages &
faiure--settling down IN Peck slip as q
professional dog doctor. Dog-fancying
with Butler was not q mere trade, al.
though he made his fancy profitable, but
it was mania with him. He may be
said absolutely to have loved dogs for
their natures sake, but derided always
the common belief that poison exists in
the saliva Of u furious dog, which theory
he held through life Of sixty odd years
and life long association with dogs OF
every degree and kind.
Seven weeks ago Dr. Butler, as he was
called, received large Spit, dog to be
cured Of what was. thought to be a dys.
peptic sickness. In administering dose
of common salt to Snap. The animal,
true to his suggestive name, bit bis
friends thumb. The doctor at once
cleanscd aud poultced the wound. He
had written letters to the New York Her
aid on the subject ofthydrophobia I've
years age, which had attracted general
attention, and he treated his thumb with
skill white ignoring the fact Of hydro
phoba The dog, in being removed to
the country, developed rabies, bit per-
sons on the boat, and was killed by
policeman Still Dir. Butler was sure 1t
was not rabies, and he attended to his
lacerated thumb, which finally healed
A week ago the dreadful malady came
upon him. He sat down to breakfast
feeling better than usual. On cup Of
tea being presented to him, a sensation
Of choking came, and he was unable to
swallow it. He asked for aseidlitz pow
der with a like result. The family ply
stefan was called in. Willing to favor
Butler's theory that the bite Of the dog
had nothing to do with his "temporary
coll.' the physician requested him to
drink a glass Of water. He seized the
tumbler with both hands and put forth
a muscular six foot mans full strength
m sshei dfGssfpaesaifsp TIE epdssYQG ia slsA the
of hydrophobia. He was unable to con-
vey one drop of the liquid to his ston.
ach. The physician left his patient, still
humoring him with his own idea OF an
absence of hydrophobic symptoms. and
anxious for tn, sake of science to give
that theory all the benefit Of repudia-
ton to the sufferer himself. The diagno-
sis of the physician was, however, cor
rect He prepared Mrs. Batter for the
worst and WITHOUT hope. On Tuesday
night it was attempted u administer the
most ellicacious anodynes. but not a drop
could be forced into the stomach. The
effort was made to inject remedies into
the system by endcrmical application, but
without success 1t took four powerful
men to restrain him. The sufferers Sc
cretiou of saliva was enormous. He
expectorated streams of it across the
room, as it is described, with the force
Of an engine. Butler was conscious and
directed the arrangement Of bis affairs.
Bathing in salt water, which is used in
Russia for the disease, was Suggested,
but, as the doctor said afterwards:
How could we put him in bath, when
the sight Of water threw him into c, nsul.
sions ="
Out of the case, however bre1ks q
CLEAN Of hope that medical science may
lind an alienation of the suhesings if not
a cure of the disease Driven to despera.
ton by Witnessing bis agonies, DR.. Lo-
ietie, his physician, placed lls.er on
his heart which at once took effect and
removed about two square inches of the
skin. On this lcnuded surface he busted
ten grains Of sulphate of morphine, and
within ten minutes the dying man exhib
tied signs Of opium delirium lie cried
out that he was in heaven, described foli.
age and other beauties Of nature, and
was out of pain and in temporary con-
dition of happiness. This application
was repeated three times, using forty
grains OF morphine in all, ard DR. Lo
rette said: Il hope that this suggestion
of the extreme struggle in my mind to
relieve my friend, if applied in the earlier
stages, may lead to some means ofbreak-
ng the heretofore certain fatality Of by.
! drophoDia. " About ten o'clock on Tues
day evening Batter died, the paroxysm
having continued for some thirty-eight
hours, Having converseG nationally with
his family at intervals after the applca-
ton Of the morphine and whea no liquid
was brought near him, he remarked that
it was growing dark, although the room
was we'll lighted, At this time he seemed
even cheerful, until a few minutes after
wards, when he quietly slid from the
chair on which he was sitting, and died,
the physicians and all present expecting
that at the final moment there would be
spasm that would end the terrible strug-
gle of brave and strong man for exist
encc The case mas excited great inter
est in New York, and has elected gen.
eral spirit OF inquiry into the immediate
causes of death from hydrophobia and
probable cures.-St Louis Republcdn.
Gxr Mr.. Beecher recently announced
from his pulpit that he wished to raise