The New York herald., 1878-10-31
WAS IT HYDKOPHOBIA?


A LONG BRANCH YOUTH WITH NEARLY ALL
THE SYMPTOMS OF THE MALADy-BIrINd
AND BARKING LIKE DOC, pUr HAVING NO
AVERSION TO WATER.
case which Is causing much exc,tom oment a Long
Branch is that Of youth named James Conk,
eighteen years old, who two years ago las, summer
bitton by largo dog A HERALD reporter
yesterday visited young conk a, mis- homo on
Division He resIdos with his Droshsr. John
Conk, tinsmitn, and from tho wife OF the latter,
who has been Ia attendance upon this youth sinoe
his Illness the writer obtained tho following par
ticulars:-
BrTrKN nr Do0.
In tho summer Of 1875 James. then q robust boy OF
sixteen, was working tor Mr.. John Brttoa In tho
upper village OF Long Branch. Brtton mad large dog
OF a breed between bloodhound aad Newfou ndland,
which, account OF its savage propcnsities, young
Conk stuaousy avoided Ono day, In the latter pars
OF July, Conk clearing on his employers wagon.
whom tho dog sprang upon him from behind. Conk
turned around to srappo away from his fero.
clous FOO wheroupon tho brnto made another
spring at MIN, hts teeth sinking into
r,sh. s,ds OF tho upper np Young oo"k vent home
and had his ip, which hung by shrod OF ncsh,
Ss business & Ss"n rns dog was not sno.' ana ConS
felt further about matter until a short
Time ago, when he learned ,hat mo dog had b,..sa
little daughter OF Tennrook Morris. He shcn AK
pressed an intention TO k tho aog himself, but nevoR
carried out his determinations.
ALARMiNa SYMPTOMS.
Everything went we'll with tho youth until tho night
OF the 18th ui.. when no began 10 not strangely He
told HIS sister in-aw, Mrs John Conk, that some
wanted TO take HIM away. During tho night he DO.
camo dsi,rious, and remained so for several days.
The spells thcn grow lighter, aud he seemed 10 bo
getting better until TUESDAY night Of last wcoE, whom
no became very violent. Hc tors Tho sheets and
somD,noa oou S'' ssor.s Of Mr. and Mrs conx and md
the youths elder brother TO Keep him IN bad. To-
violent. some,,mos ias,ins tor .wo and three hours
Help was summoned from the ncig hbortng dwellings,
and IN the severcst hts took six men 70 Keep him
would XIII himself IN the struggle and bite thors whs
held him, SO II was deemed best 10 place him on the
hoor.
LIKE A pod.
Tho frst knowledge his attendant had Of another
spell would bo by tho youth getting down on his
Knees and hands. lie would thon begin to snarl and
bark like dog and jump about tho room on all fourA
Sometimes he would gather together all tho orna-
mens on tho IN an piece and 10 door, piao-
ing them near him lie seemed then to doze, keeping
au ego on tho articles and whom anyone In tho room
stridcd oc spoke no would ~. MS head, show nis
tocth, stick out his tongue aud growi ike doE Az
othor times he would catch hics and sat thcm
On Thursday night no seemed to bo getting over
the worse spelIs, and several oil tho youhs compan-
ions came IN to SIT up with MIN. During ths nignt
coored boy who lived near came IN 10 inquire atce
him. Scarcely had he entered the door Of Cenks
room, however, when tho latter sprang vith growi
from bed toward tho intruder, but before no could
oy both ana piu'oncd him. The young
c%oas % back on his bod wnis this was
being done Conk caught tho ysung man By
tho arm with his tceth and hold on untl forced - Ice
go Fortunately tor C,pk's companion he had on
neavy Jacket, and only the marks of the nuriated
youths tccth were lett on hts arm. When In bed he
iiitcd heavy rocking chair winch was standing
by with his teeth hurled across the room Thia
was the sovcrost spell no had, and lasted Tor two
hours. During ts he hattencd large leaden bullet
with his and then swallowed part Of ~ worry.
ing over IL a canine would over a bono.
From thpt time the spells decreased In violence
changing IRON hydropn obiaitkc nts 10 crazy ones.
During all OF thom he had aversion to water, but
did not drink any Alter oAch ~ no would cali Tor
food and cat to excess. The only porson he seemed
to nayo no desire 10 bito was his sistcr-in-law
VISIONS ruE OTHER WORLD.
On Friday night Conk, who hsrctoioro never
seemed OF rolig turn OF mind alter coming out
OF nt told his sstor-in-law thai no nad visions
father, who told HIM that he would have just
so many spells and thcn would get VOL. He
also told how long each spell would last.
All these sccminR prophecies wore fulfilled He
then expressed n dostrc tnat tue dog which bit him
should TO shot, and also that Mr. Wilson, tho Netho-
came, tho young man WIS converted and tnon began
TO get better.
Wncn Conk hoard shas the whoh had bitton
him had beon shot ho seemed relieved. the animal
was shot by Conk's brother on SATURDAY morning.
since last sunday Conk has had Dut ono spell
although no seems TO be nervous, centinuay seeing
what no calls visions.
LoSGsBRAScu ExorrKD.
Tho excitement at Long Branch Is 80 great that the
police nave called upon Conk's relatives and 70.
quested that ho bo Kept In the house. The GREATEST
sxcitcmsnt was caused yesterday among the pupils
in graded school by alarm which was raised by
a chila who saw Conk standing ~ Tho gate Of nis