Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-03

\ very sad ease Of death from hydrophobia
occurred in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Francis
Butler. 4 well-known dog fancier, has had
for many years a place of business in Peck
Slip. in this city. and at Prospect and Bre-
men streets. in Brooklyn. About six weeks
ago a gentleman bought n dog which was
sick to his Office. ut peck-slip. 1t was a
small Spitz dog. and the owner stated that
be desired to have it receive tine best Of care
for which he would pay literally Mr. But
Ter then determined To take the animal to his
Brooklyn office, but before he started pro
ceeded to administer n dose OF medicine.
The dog was held by boy. and medicine
was forced into its mouth. but while Mr.
Butler, with his hands in the dogs mouth.
was endeayoring to make it swallow, the an
imal bit the thumb of his right hand 50 bad
ly that the marks of six sharp teeth could
be plainly seen. On the ferrv-boat to Brook
lyn the dog escaped from basket in which
he was confined and bit a man in the leg
The animal was soon shot by 4 policeman.
The wound soon healed, and Mr. Butler had
almost forgotten about it. until last Monday
morning, when in his effort to swallow cup
Of tea at his brcaklas. table he was seized
with a violent paroxysm and conyulsiye tire
NOR. and TO his surprise discovered that hi~
muscles would not convey the drink to his
mouth. In some alarm he turned to his wife
and said "Why, how strange this is
can't get that tea To my lips What can it
mean She thought of the bite OF the dog
Immediately. and like flash it came to her
that her husband had hydrophoba, but she
endeayored at the time 10 conceal her fears
from him, and told him he WAS nervous and
needed rest. I'm try another cup, then, -
he answered but in attempting To drink he
was again convulsed lie then tried to eat
an egg and some bread, but could not do 50,
and a few hours afterwards ne recognized
symptoms OF hydrophobia, and realized his
condition. lie then begged his friends to
keep away from him and ran up and down
stairs with n stick in his hands endeay0rins
to strike and biteeyery person who approach
eI him. lie tore the clothing from his body
and cluching at his breast shrieked, There
are mad dogs here" Drs. Loretz and Cream
er were called in and wee obliged to tie
him down and finally succeed in eiectins
morphine into his arm. This relieved his
paroxysms He lost the power of speech,
then barked ike 4 dog, while streams of
foam poured from his mouth, and late on
Tuesday night he died lie was "a years
old and leaves n wife and nine children.
Mr.. Butler was a native of England, and
his education was Of superior order. lie
was an accomplished linguist, and has been
connected with several educational inStitu-
tions as a professor OF language. His knowl-
edge Of French and German is atte~ted by a
volume Of which he was the author. Some
years ago he went into the business of train
ing. buying and selling dogs, and his ability
in controlling and tanning them was deemed
by many really marvellous. Many n time
he has led away without injury a quarrel
some and ferocious dog which attacked every
other person who approached it. lie wrote
a popular book entitled, Dog Training,
He had no fear of hydrophobia, and often
expressed the opinion that it was simply
nervous affection, and that the bite of dog
would not produce the disease unless tear
superyened and occasioned it. All kinds Of
rare and expensive dogs were to be found at
his establishment. When =. T. Barnum
held his dog-show in the old Museum at
Broadway and Ann street, Buffers contribu-
tions were acknowledged to be by far the
finest and the most varied lie prided him
self on the purity of the breed of dogs raised
and trained by him. Any breed could be
obtained of him from a dimnutive black
and-tan OF King Charles spaniel to an Eng
lish bulldog or Siberian bloodhound. Butler
did not 90 to dog-fghts lie felt pardon
able pride in the raising of pure FLOODED
dogs. and was respected by a large circle Of
acquaintance.