The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-08-21
Sad Death OF q Little Boy from Hy.
drODhObfa.

One of the most remarkable cases of
acute hydrophobia was reported last
evening by DIR. G. A. Hall, of No. 972
wabash avenue. The victim was
Benny w. Hawkins, nine years of age,
living with his parents at No. 957
w abash avenue, and death ensued after
terrible sufferings ut TAO last evening.
The remarkable features in the case
are two in number: First, the manner
of incubation, and, secondly, the
with which the virus per-
meated the system and brought on the
dreadful disease, from which the only
possible relief is death. Prior to his
death the little fellow stated exactly
how he was poisoned, and his state
ment is corroborated by the parents
and his younger brother Sam.
Last Tuesday noon the brothers were
playing with some other hoys of their
own age and size in a yard in the rear
OF their home. Near to where they
were amusing themselves was kept a
large dog of the Newfoundland species,
but not of pure breed. The animal is
quite young one, and was full of play
while the children were about. The
MONDAY sun was hot, and little Sammy,
plying the dog, who had worked itself
into heat in trying to get loose to
play with the children, went up to it
and unfastened the chain. Then play
fully he said "Seek him." and put the
dog onto his older brother. The animal
understood. and, rushing upon Benny,
planted his forepaws upon his Shout
ders. So sudden was the attack that
Benny fell. The dog then paved and
snorted about him, but Benny was bad
ly frightened and fought him off
with his hands as best he could.
The dog had made no effort
to bite him, and did not leave so much
as a scratch upon the boy. Recover
ing himself Benny went into the house
to brush off his clothes, but finding his
hands all covered with the saliva, or
frOth, which was about the animals
mouth, he washed his hands first.
While brushing his clothes he said to
his mother. II don't like Dan any
more, and he shan't play with us
again." Then he told his mother how
Sammy had set the dog upon him, but
she paid no attention to it. The dog
belonged to a DR.. Knott, a veterinary
surgeon located in stable in that Vi
cinity, and had never harmed any one.
Therefore it was concluded that the
boy was more frightened than hurt.
The boy soon returned to his play, and
nothing was Thought of the occurrence
until Friday afternoon, when Benny
complained of a curious sensation
about the ears, and later at night of
oosuc of Tho hooo ~ thu bro;o C,%,,r
day he was still indisposed, but
not seriously, and along in the
afternoon his mother asked him to
90 for some milk. AS she hand
ed him the pitcher Benny started
back with q tremor and said the pitch
er frightened him. His mother Or
dered him back to bed and wen. for
the milk herself. When she returned
he wanted to 60 over to his fathers
shop, small furnitare-repairing shop
at No. 1905 Indiana avenue. As he
was turning into Twenty-second street
little playmate held his arms out to
stop him, and Benny at once turned
for home in terrible fright, scream
ing loudly. Saturday night he was so
ill that his parents took him to the Of
| flee of DIR. Hall, but not finding him in,
consulted DIR. Talcott. The boy was
greatly excited at this time, DR.. Tai
colt says, and chung to his parents in
the most agonizing way. Some pow
ders were prescribed, but upon return
| ing home Benny became so much worse
that it was found impossible to give
him more than one powder, and that
was given only after severe struggle.
Paroxysms began and required every
five to seven minutes. In the interim
the motion of the body was uncertain,
the pupils dilated, the muscles in
continuous tremor, and the boy
apparently suffered greatly and
made hideous noises. By this time
the truth was suspected. Ben
ny had told over to his parents
the story of the dogs attack, but no
bites could be found. 1t was finally
noticed that three of his fingers had
been cut, and the wounds must have
been quite fresh at Tuesday noon.
Benny then told that he had inflicted
the cuts while whiting out little
boat at his fathers workshop. The
knife slipped several times, but the
wounds inflicted were so trivial that he
did not even bandage them. They
were quite fresh Tuesday noon, for he
remembered that the soap smarted
them as he was washing his hands.
This, then, appeared the solution of
his illness. and it was at once con-
cluded that hydrophobia had set in.
Yesterday morning DIR. Hall called.
The boy was in his fathers arms,
splitting, and occasionally putting as if
he was in deep water and in danger of
drowning. He was very excited, and
chung u the shoulders of both his
father and the doctor. All questions
were answered quite nationally. More
medicine was prescribed, but it was
found impossible to administer it. He
seemed to crave for water, but the mo-
ment it was brought within his sight a
CONFUSION ensued.
At eleven o'clock in the forenoon DIR.
Hall found him lying fat on his back,
with the eyes wide open and sleepless.
Every symptom of acute hydrophobia
was apparent. Shortly after this hour
he was seized with severer commissions.
At 1:30 in the afternoon he was very
bad. Several attempts were made to
SAVC uAA W0CCAs Out cdCu Adlltu. u0
spasms had then reached the abdomen,
and at the sight of water the jaws
would snap violently together, and a
spasm would ensue, causing him to
throw up everything on his stomach.
The temperature of the body was 1854.
At four o'clock the commissions became
less violent, and q cold, clammy feeling
came over the extremities, and these
symptoms increased until death ensued.
DIR. Hall watched the case very closely,
and during the day called in for con-
sultation Drs. E. S. Bailey, T. s. Hoyne,
w. H. Fellows and 4. Ludlam. All
were agreed that it was q remarkable
case of acute hydrophobia.
The sad result led to the inquiry as
to what had become of the dog. The
owner, DIR. Knott, was 10th to believe
that his dog caused the trouble. 1t
was locked up in his barn, he said, and
was apparently in good health. He
called several times to see Benny, but
in no instance would the little fellow