The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-17
HYDROPHOBIA FROM A CATS
BITE.
Strange Case In BrOoklyn-Statement
by the Medical Attendant.


From Yesterday N. Y. Times.
The brief announcement of the death
of Henry Murray, of Baltic street, near
Albany avenue, Brooklyn, of hydrophbia,
was made at Police Headquarters at late
hour on Sunday night. The peculiar
circumstances attending the development
and fatal termination Of the case, are at
tracing considerable attention in Brook
lyn and elsewhere. Murray was labor
er of sober habits and healthy constitu-
ton. On the night of October 10, 1876,
while employed as Waterman on GER
tain buildings in the suburbs OF that city,
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
mere scratch, he paid no attentlonto 1t.
The wound soon healed. On Thursday
evening he felt pain in his nose, but no
thought of the encounter with the cat oc-
Cured to him, he supposing he had tax.
en- cold. All that night he complained
of headache, and of feeling languid, and
on Friday was quite i'll, although he con-
tinued al his werk. On Saturday morn
ing his respiration became labored, and
he swallowed with difficulty. saying that
his throat seemed to be closing against
him. His friends became alarmed ut his
symptoms, and DIR. John ID. Sullivan, OF
No. 493 Tompkins avenue, was called In.
Sr. Sullivan tells the following story OF
the case:
"On Saturday afternoon l was called
in for the first time, and found him ID
bed, but looking quite well. But, while
talking to him, he suddenly jerked up,
all his muscles going into spasm. AT
ter telling me Of his difficulty in drinking,
called for q 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 getting it to his
mouth and taking mouthful. He had
no actual dread of water'lwhich hydro
phobis literary means, but his throat con-
tracted violently, together with all the
muscles OF his body. The muscles were
affected, but tie spasms were nervous
After this was over he seemed as well as
ever IN his life, except that he iet sore
ness in his forehead, he said. AT that
time knew nothing about the cat-bite,
and not liking to brighten him with any
questions, took his father and mother
into another room and asked them II he
had been bitten BY any animal. They
said no, except some ten years previously,
when he had been slightly bitten by a
dog. While talking with his father, his
mother went back. however, and ques-
toned him on the subject, and be men
toned the cat-bite spoken OF rs the only
one. When l saw the symptoms were
fully developed, l asked him about 1t,
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. L saw
him again, yesterday morning, and his
symptoms having become more intense
in every way, in spite OF the remedies l
had applied, sought consultation with
another physician, and called IN Dr.
Pitcher. l had administered sedatives
with some quinine. The quinine l gave
HIM thin king he might not have recover
ed from an attack of malaral fever he
had had some time before. When Or.
Pitcher arrived in the afternoon, the
symptoms were still worse, although the
sedatives were increased, and we thought
the steam. bath was the only thing that
could help him. However, there was no
facilities Tor it there, and when l went TO
the Police station for an ambulance, In
tending to take him to the hospital, where
a bath could be had, / could net get one.
1t was, however, then to late. he was
jumping and struggling violently, his ag'
ony being awful to witness. We finally
concluded to let him alone, and he went
rapidly into collapse, remaining in avery
low condition until 2 o'clock this morn
ing, when he died from sheer exhaustion.
There was, during his low state, more
or less spasmodc action of the muscles
and a continual accumulation OF foam
spu,um,' we would call Tin his mouth,
which seemed to choke HIM when he tri-
ed To swallow and TO thrvw him into the
spasms. He was not afraid of any fund,
but could not swallow it, the attempt To
do so almost asphyxisting him. Atsuch
times he grew livid."
Young Murray remarked to DIR. Sulli-
van that if he could get the trouble out
of his throat he would be all right. He
retained his right mind until Sunday
night, when he became deiirious, and I'M
sgined that somebody was outside who
wanted to shoot him. He also seemed To
fear that the doctors were going to. cut
his nose of. He gave rational answers
to questions, even when violently deiiri.
Gus. DR.. Sullivan is fully of the belief
that the case was one OF genuine ehydro-
phobia. He is also OF opinion that If the
case had been put under medical t'eat-
ment two weeks ago, the effects Of the
virus could have been eradicsted from
the system, and the life of Mr.. Murray
saved.
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