Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-20

SATURDAY NIGHT, APRIL goth.
Also on Sabbath afternoon, at 3 clock, on
Alcoholism"
To be followed by four other pay lectures.
See large programmes.
THE HYDROPHOBIA TEST.
A Dtsbeliever In Rabies Consents to be In
OcMiatc1 With the Virvs or u Had Dog.
The Proposition accepted.
New York Herald.]
The proposition to test Mr.. Bergh's dis
belief in hydraphobia by practical expert
ment upon that eminent friend of the lower
animals not having met with acceptance on
the part of the president of the society for
the prevention Of cruelty to animals, the
public will be prepared to listen to the offers
of people who are willing to take his place
and submit to incubation in his stead. AL
ready the Herald is in receipt of the follow
ing letter:
BROOKLYN, April 8, 1S78.-To the editor
of the Herald: Seeing in your paper the
proposition made to Mr.. Bergh to inoculate
him with saliva from rabid dog, all for the
cause of science, I would say that I am in
the same belief with Mr.. Bergh. If this
physician will give me $4,000 in gold l
will afford him the opportunity of putting
his theory into practice, the money to be
mine as soon as the operation has been per-
formed, which must be done in the presence
of responsible parties. DoaBERRY.
Accompanying this letter were the name
and address of the writer, and reporter of
The Herald was at once sent to ascertain if
the offer came from q responsible source
and was made in good faith. In both these
respects the answer was in every way salts
factory. Ringing the bell of cosy little
house in South Brooklyn the reporter was
met by comely young girl, who showed
him into plain but comfortable parlor, and
in response to his inquiries went in search of
her father. In no respect were there any
evidences that the house was a private luna
tic asylum, and the master of the domicile
| when he appeared turned out to be shrewd,
intelligent, and hardheaded Scotchman.
IL am sent by The Herald," said the re-
porter, "to ascertain whether you wrote the
letter signed 'Dogberry,' and whether your
proposition is made i'll good faith.''
IL wrote it, and if the doctor wants to try
any experiment on me am ready to submit
to it in consideration of the sum named.''
s:But don't you think $4,000 small sum
for the risk you will run?' asked the re-
porter.
':No; it's enough, think, for do not be-
lieve run any risk
"But if the incubation kills you, wha
then?'
| 'Thon the money would go to my family
You see don't believe there is any suct
| thing as hydrophobia, and am sure raj
| q much greater risk when went into tn,
army. Whenever the doctor puts up tn,
money am willing to try the experiment.
''How came you to make such PROPOSE
tion?''
"Well, you see, was reading the doctor
challenge to Bergh, and thought the ply
sician was making fun of the animals friend
believe in Bergh, and, as told you before
l don't believe in hydrophobia, and US no
body could expect so good and useful a MAJ
as he is to submit to such an experiment,
concluded to offer to do it myself. don:
want my name printed unless my PROPOSE
ton is accepted, but the Herald knows wher
, |
"What is your motive in making III:
ofer?''
II want to make the money. of course, Blu
then am anxious also to do something fo
the cause of SCIENCE
"But if the experiment kills you?''
sThe cause of science will be served a
the same. But it won't kill me. Peopl
who were bitten by dogs have died in gres
agony, no doubt, but it was their fears, an
not the bite which caused their death. II
/; not going to let my imagination kill me,
can tell You, and my only fear is that Ii
doctor will back OUT
"You don't think the offer made in goo
faith, then?"
~ think it was made to tease Bergh, b1
as amt as useful man as Bergh is, an
:; need the money more, have concluded I
try the experiment if the doctor means bu
. mess"
"What does your family say to this prop,
sition of yours?''
81 haven't told them yet.''
: This remarkable conversation, at once
e frank and straightforward, induced the r
: porter to lead the talk into other channel
to see if his interlocutor was equally pract
i cal and hard headed on all subjects, and
must be confessed that if the man is lun
: tic, nobody short of lunatlc can discov
= it. He is coherent and logical in ever
thing. ~ am an engineer he said, "b
just now am out of job. was getir
!, $3.50 day, but another man came alo1
L and offered to do the job for $l2 wee
and SO they let me go.
Apparently, he feels no uneasiness in i
= gard to another job, and his house is &C
tainly as cosy and comfortable as the hon
of any intelligent mechanic in the City
Churches. The walls Of his parlor q
IS adorned with prints and chromos, and
"a one corner is piano, with music and musi
: books scattered over it. He has to hims,
ga whole house" and is proud of the col
fort and taste with which he is surrounde
d Altogether. it is too good home to be fc
+. saken lightly, and if the man is as earne
,e as he seems-for profound seriousness pe
n vades all that he says on the subject
rabies-he must be strong disbeliever
!. the theory of hydrophobia. When the j
y porter rose to go, he put on his hat and 9
$ companied him to q car, talking on varie
d of subjects on the way, but frequently ]
curing to the proposition which was t
at occasion of the reporters visit, and VIII
IN the latter was leaving, he said, by way
,e good-by: "Tell the doctor whenever he
ready with tho money. will be on hand I