Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-07-23
BOW IT FEELS TO HAVE HYDaopHoBIA.

| Under the significant title, "Reve
lations of Madman,' a scientific jour
nal of Paris publishers an account a
interesting to the public as to thu
scientific world. A man worthy of al
confidence, bitten by mad cog, ani
who has suffered all the spasms O.
madness, relates his sufferings, and
how he was cured. We take up the
recital at the commencement of the
hallucjnation:
81 was surprised to see appear, from
tlack cabinet, people who spoke tc
me; then enormously long rats ran
along the furniture, always by the
side. The Illusion was such that al
first often changed my position tc
convince myself whether it was an
illusion OF 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. simultaneously l was
seized with trembling of the skin
and feeling Of unspeakable horror.
In the place of darkness, or during the
night, my room appeared illuminated
as by flash of lightning At last,
seeing that nothing would arrest this
mysterious agent, I had recourse to the
Dat'tra stramomiuna, or thorn apple of
Peru. A Catholic missionary had in
formed me of its wonderful efficacy ff-
teen years ago. | took strong dose
of it, four Or five leaves, and commenc-
ed to write, although with some diff
Guilty. Half an hour after, the remedy
had not taken effect, when suddenly a
strong electric convuIsion, like fire
works, OF, rather, like puff of steam,
ran through all my limbs, from head to
foot, producing in the entire surface of
the skin a general trembling and sensa
ton of heat, accompanied by DISPOSE
ton to fly and an indefnable feeling of
terror. 1t seemed to me I had fire.
works in my eyes. rebounded, as if
impelled by a spring. 1t seemed to me
| was engaged i'll a deadly combat
between the vital and morbid principles,
the latter of which endeayored to i'm
pose itself tyrannieally like dominate
ing power, against which all the active
forces reacted with a superhuman
energy AT the same moment | be,
came delirious and lost all conscious
ness.
The patient retains in the delirium
the dominant idea of restraining him
self, and Of endeavoring to repossess
his faculties. Nevertheless, in this
state the commissions become more
frequent. They are always accompanied
with the same sentiment of fear, and
the necessity of reaction and flight.
The muscular force is prodigiously in
creased; 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 ner
yous excitement is such that he is very
nearly insensible 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, enc is intrepid and
ready to brave. all exterior dangers.
The paroxysms 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 a
great prostration was felt. The invalid
attributed all the phenomena of the
delirium to the gas produced in the
organic tissues by the influence of the
virus.