Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-01-29
HydOphObia from the Bite of a Cat

HydOphObia from the Bite Of a Cat.
Henry Murray was laborer of sober
habits and healthy constitution. On
the night of October 10, 1876, while en-
ployed as a watchman on certain build
ings in the suburbs of Brooklyn, N. Y,
he attempted to drive strange cat from
one of them. The animal sprang into
his face and bit him on the nose, but,
the wound inflicted being nothing more
than slight scratch, he paid no atten-
tion to it. The wound soon healed. A
few days ago he felt pain in his nose,
but no thought of the encounter with
the cat occurred to him, he gupposing
he had taken cold. All that night he
complained of a headache, and of feel
ing languid and the next day was quite
ill. although he continued at his work.
On the next morning his respiration be-
came labored, and he swallowed with
difficulty, saying that his throat seemed
to be closing against him. His friends
became alarmed at the symptoms, and
DR.. John D. Sullivan was called in, who
tells the following story of the case
was called in and found him in bed,
but looking quite we'll. But, while
talking to him, he suddenly jerked up,
all his muscles going into a spasm.
After telling meof his difficulty in drink
ing, I called for glass of water and
handed it to him. AS he took it his
hand began to tremble, and only with
great effort he succeeded at last in get
ting it to his mouth and taking a mouth
full. He had no "actual dread of water, 4"
which hydrophobia literally means, but
his throat contracted violently, together
with all the muscles of his body. The
muscles were affected, but the spasms
were nervous. After that was over he
seemed as well as ever in his life, except
that he felt a soreness in his forehead,
he said. At that time l knew nothing
about the cat bite, and not liking to
frighten him with any questions, took
his father and mother into another room
and asked them if he had been bitten by
any animal. They said no, except some
ten years previously, when he had been
slightly bitten by dog. While talking
with his father, his mother went back,
however, and questioned him on the sub
iect, and he mentioned the cat bite
spoken of as the only one. When I saw
the symptoms were fully developed, 1
asked him about it, and he said that for
the last two or three days he had had
darting pains in his nose. There was,
however, no swelling about the spot, nor
any discoloration. [ saw him again, and
his symptoms having become more in
tense in every way, in spite of the rene
dies had applied, I sought consulta-
ton with another physician, and called
in DR.. Pitcher. had administered Sc
datives with some quinine. The quinine
I gave him thinking he might not have
recovered from an attack of malarial
fever he had had some time before.
When DR.. Pitcher arrived, the symp-
toms were still worse, although the
sedatlves were increased, and we
thought the steam bath was the only
thing that could help him. However,
there were no facilities for it there, and
when went to the police station for an
ambulance, intending to take him to the
hospital, where bath could be had, [
could not get one. It was, however,
then too late. He was jumping and
struggling violently, his agony being
awful to witness. We finally concluded
to let him alone, and he went rapidly
into collapse, remaining in a very low
condition until he died from sheer ex-
haustion. There was, during his low
state, more or less spasmodic action of
the muscles and continual accumula-
tion of foam" sputum - we would call
tin his mouth, which seemed to choke
him when he tried to swallow and to
throw him into the spasms. He was not
afraid of any fluid, but could not swal
low it, the attempt to do SO" almost
asphyxiating him. At such times he
grew livid.
Young Murray remarked TO DR.. Sui
livan that if he could only get the
trouble out of his throat he would be all
right. He became delirious, and i'm
agined that somebody was outside who
wanted to shoot him. He also seemed
to fear that the doctors were going to
cut his nose off. He gave rational an
swers to questions, even when violently
delirious. DIR. Sullivan is fully of the
! belief that the. case was one of genuine
hydrophobia. He is also of opinion that
il the case had been put under medical
treatment two weeks ago, the effects OF
the virus could have been eradicated
from the system, and the life of Mr..
Murray saved.
> Thirty years ago or more clock in 8
neighboring city bore the following ap
nro,,riata inscription nm IL