Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1877-06-16
HYDRoPHOBIA.
Was Prof. Alverxnas's Death From Fright
or q Bsbtd hog.
Prom the New York World

or a Rabtd bog.
From the New York worid.1
Hartford, CT, May 31.-Prof. Vic
tor Alvergnat, n well known French
teacher Of this city, died this morning,
apparently of hydrophobia produced BY
fright and nervous excitement. The
case is peculiarly distressing one, and
has caused in this community universal
sympathy and also much morbid curios-
ity. The Professor was severely bitten
by strange cur on the chin, both hands
and one leg on the night of April so, in
the vestibule Of hisrooms The wounds
were Immediately washed with carbolic
acid and cauterized with nitric acid.
The dog was not supposed to be rabid,
but it was stupidity killed by a police
man the next morning, so that this point
could not be settled. re
Ofiicious 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 bites. His
thoughts became fixed on the matter.
He read it up thoroughly and brooded
over it until his nervous system became
unsettled, and sleepless nights ensued.
He learned from physician when the
SYMPTOMS ought to show themselves, and
as the time grew near his excitability
grew more intense. Last Sunday he
complained Of illness; ON Monday, feel
ing no better, he took q vapor bath.
Experiencing 4 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 were with
him by turns from this time till his death.
His clergyman also called and conversed
with him upon his spiritual interests, 10
whom he expressed himself pre-
pared for death. The patient was re-
duced to Inconsistencies with
large doses of morphine administered
internally and by hypodermic injection,
but his efforts to swallow beef-tea and
milk were attended with great difficulty.
Wednesday morning he raised himself
up in bed and struck at his physician, but
soon became unconscious. At5o'clock
in the afternoon he awoke from a sleep
produced by opiates and acted violently,
making it difficult to restrain him from
injuring himself by beating his head
against the wall. 1t was necessary to
place the patient in q straight-jackes,
and this was accomplished only after
severe struggle against the powers of
four men, during which the unfortunate
Professor exhibited all the severer symp-
toms of hydrophobia- Other conyul-
sions occurred at midnight, after which
morphine was given in heavy doses. He
. then fingered in a semi-uneonscious
state until 10 o'clock to-day, when death
put AN end to his suiferings. His clos
ing moments We're quiet, owing to 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 its Incidental
results. However, the symptoms
during the past twenty-four
hours were strictly in accord with cases
of hydrophobia reported by the best au-
thorities, and the post-mortem examin-
alton this afternoon developed conges-
ton of the spinal cord and membrane of
the brain, so that. in spite of some evil
dences 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 u deep interest in the
case, and the unfortunate man had the
best of care.
Mr.. Alvergnat was born in France,
and -arVaJ for Gonna x-oars II, tho French