The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-06-15

Was Prof. Alvergnat's Death From Fright
"a Rabid Dog.

or "a Rabid bog.
From the New York World.
HARrFoRD, CT, May 3l.--Prof Vic
tor Alvergnat, q we'll known French
teacher Of this city, died this morning.
apparently Of hydrophobia produced by
fright and nervous excitement. The
case Is 4 peculiarly distressing one. and
has caused in this community universal
sympathy and also much morbid curios-
ity. The Professor was severely bitten
by strange eur on the chin, both hands
and one leg on the night Of April 80, in
the vcstibule Of his rooms. The wounds
were Immediately washed with carbolic
acid and calitcrized with nitric acid.
The dog was not supposed TO be rahid,
but il was stupidity killed by a police
man the next morning. sothat this point
could not be settled.
Oiliciors people began advising the
Professor by letter and otherwise what
remedial course TO pursue and some Of
them insisted that eventually he would
be attacked with hydrophobia This
turned his mind to the subject Of mad
dogs and the results Of their bite. Ills
thoughts became fixed on the natter
He read il up thoroughly and brooded
over il until his nervous system became
unsettled, and sleepless nights cnsucd.
lie learned from a physician when the
SYMPTOMS oHght u show themselves, and
a. the time grew near his cNcitabiliiy
grew more intense. Last Sunday he
complained II illness: on Monday, feel
ing no better, he took vapor bath.
Experiencing difficulty in swallowing
on Tuesday morning, he became
very much alarmed. and sent
for his physician, and two Of the most
skillful medical men in town We're with
him by turns from this time till his death.
His clergyman also called and conyersed
with him upon his spiritual interests, 10
whom he expressed himself pre-
pared for death. The patient was re-
duced "a semi-unconsciousnes with
large doses Of morphine administered
internally and by hypodermic injection,
but his efforts to swallow bcef-tea and
milk were attended with great difficulty
Wednesday morning he raised himself
up in bed and struck al his physician, but
soon became unconscious. At 5 O'Clock
in the afternoon he awoke from a sleep
produced BY opiates and acted violently
making il difficult 10 restrain him from
injnring himself BY beating his head
against the wall. II was necessary 10
place the patient in straight jacket,
and this was accomplished only after a
severe struggle against the powers Of
four men, during which the unfortunate
Professor exhibited all the scverer symp-
toms Of hydrophobia. Other convul-
sions occurred AT midnight, after which
morphine was given in heavy doses. He
then fingered in scmi-lnconscious
state until 10 O'Clock to-day. when death
put an end 10 his sulcrings. His clos
ing moments Were quiet, owing 70 the
influence Of the drugs. The attending
physicians have been divided in opinion
as to the cause Of death, several claim
ing that IL occurred from intense nerv-
Gus excitement and It's incidental
results. However, the symptoms
during the past twenty-four
Of hydrophobia reported BY the best au-
thorities, and the post-mortem examin-
alton this afternoon developed congcs-
ton Of the spinal cord and membrane Of
the brain, so that, in spite Of some evil
dcnccs not wholly satisfactory, the con
clusion reached was that il was case
Of hydrophobia, the first in the city for
thirty years. The'whole faculty Of the
city has taken deep interest in the
case. and the unfortunate man had the
best Of care.
Mr. Alvergnat was born in France,
and served for some years in the French
army. He was an expert fenccr, and In
his youthful and wilder days was the
hero Of one or two duels. lie was n
thorough Frcnchman, and his attempt
10 show class = how they sang the
Marscillaisc' in France" was sometimes
electrical in It's effect His fcats upon
the drum and with the fencing fols also
elected much admiration among his
youthful acquaintance. This was very
wide, rs for many years he has been 4
teacher at the High School In this city,
besides giving private lessons. Last
summer he published a French grammar
which was highly spoken Of. lie was a
very intelligent, upright and cstimablc
gentleman, and was universally liked.
He was about 40 years Of age and leaves
a widow to whom he was married in this
country.
THE hotels in Maine have suspended
the publication Of wine list on their
bills Of fare in Difference to the new
liquor law, which makes such publica-
ton hollow mockcry or a criminal Of
Tense. The Bangor House, one Of the
} leading hotels In the city Of that name,
keeps up the headline, Irvine list, !" and
! publishes beneath Il the sadly suggcs-
tive line, tive would II We could y