Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-04-28
HORRORS OF HYDROPHOBIA.
Death Of u vOMnG Man from the Bite VI
Cnt..FcMrful suffering.

we Jake tue IollowihB from the NOW
York San Strapped to his cot in a
whitewashed cell in Bellevue Hospital
Robert NJ. Dickie, a plumber of 235 East
Thirtieth street, lay tossing yesterday in
the agonics Of hydrophobia. His face
was flushed, his neck swollen, his eye
balls were glazed and bloodshot, and he
ground his teeth Ms he struggled to free
himself from his bonds. The kind.heart-
ed keeper, Mr.. James Connolly, wheeled
the little bed round so that the sufferer
might look ont into the yard. A cool
breeze blew into the cell through the
half opened window, and momentarily
the patient became calm. Then he
broke into wild fury, and tore at his
cords. In his agony his neck became
fearfully swollen and inhamed, his face
livid, and the foam flew from his mouth
and stood in beads on his purple lips.
Mr.. Dickie, who is not yet eighteen
years old, lives in an attractive home, in
the third story, in East Thrtieth street.
His father, who is prosperous carman,
and his mother and two sisters have
made his life happy. He was kindly
and sober, and one of the most indus
trious of plumbers.
On the second of January last, Dickie,
while Mt work in the plumbers shop,
heard faint sound rs of an animal in
distress. Then he went ont through the
deep snow in the yard, and found lean
black cat, mewing in its distress. He
took it in his arms, aud, in twinkling,
the cat turned upon him and stuck its
teeth into his thumb and clutched his
coat sleeve with its claws. He tried in
vain to loosen the cats hold, and then,
Selling il with his other hand by tho
neck, tried to choke it. Still the cat
chung to him, its teeth in his thumb, and
it was not until he had crushed the life
out of it that he released himself. He
went into the shop, the blood from the
wound covering his hand, and the fright
ened workmen babe him hurry to the
nearest drug store. He did so, and
there his wound was carefully cauterized.
He went back to work, and in n day or
two forgot the encounter with the cat.
Soon afterward it was learned that the
cat had bitten horse belonging to Mr..
Cartwright, n fish dealer, ut Third ave-
nue. and Thirty-titth street. 1t was also
ascertained thad Mr. Samuel Richardson,
the dwarf, who lived in Il chamber over
the plumbing shop, and who died week
or two ago OF what the physicians called
fright" was bitten through the hand
by the same cat on the evening preced-
ing the day on which Dickie was attack
ed. The cat was stranger in the neigh
borhool, and results of the wounds that
it had inflicted were awaited with great
interest Soon the horse was seized with
violent spasms, his limbs became cold,
the muscles contracted, and he tore at
and bit the sides of his stall. The ply
sicians pronounced it case Of hydro
phobia. After sickness of short
time the horse died in agony. Not long
after this Richardson began to act
strangely and became greatly troubled
and excited. He grew worse, and at
length was confined to his bed. He died
on the eighth instant.
After the death of Richardson, Dickie
began to be seriously alarmed. He said
nothing of his fears to any one, but be-
came morosa and uneasy. In his home
his family, hoping to turn his mind from
brooding over his encounter with the
cat, steadfastly avoided all reference to
the subject, and did not speak to him of
the death and burial of Richardson.
But they saw, with apprehension, the
growing change in him. On Saturday
morning last he arose at the usual hour,
and saying that he was unwell, refused
to eat his breakfast. He went to his
business, and in the forenoon did some
plumbing work in Thirty-sixth street.
At noon he went home complaining of
dull headache and of lump in his
throat that forbade him swallowing any,
thing. He vomited all the afternoon
until DR.. Il. G. Rawson relieved him
but the doctor could not remove the
lump from the young mans throat.
Dickie went early to bed and slept, under
the influence of morphine, which had
been hypodermically injected, as he
could not keep either medicine or food
on his stomach. In the morning he was
no better, and Drs. Rawson and White
were called. They pronounced it bill
ious attack, and said that the trouble in
the throat was produced by swollen tom
sils and inflammation. On Sunday,
Dickie was exceedingly laxative, rat
thing on from one topic to another, and
walking restlessly from one room to
another. This change from his moodi-
ness of the preceding days was welcomed
by his family. Sill he could eat moth
ing, could swallow neither. water nor
medicine, expectorated constantly, and
shuddered at the sight of water. His
nerves were badly shaken. On Sunday
night he could not sleep. He often
asked for water to clear his throat, and
then shuddered and pushed it away
On'Monday, Dickie's symptoms were
repetition of those of the preceding
day. He was feverish and excited, and
talked wildly with his friends. On Mon
dry night morphine was injected under
his skin, but he could not sleep after
midnight. A friend watched by his bed
side, and whenever he tried to arise he
was forced back upon his couch. He
was delirious and violent at daybreak,
and his father, who Stood by his bed,
was unable to hold him. He sprang
into the middle Of the room and threw
the furniture around him. He smashed
a mirror and dashed lamp from his
bureau to the floor At length he was
put in strait-jacket and conveyed in an
ambulance to Bellevue Hospital.
DR.. Griswold, who was treating Dickie,