The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-01

A CASE of death from hydrophobia,
as singular as it may appear shocking,
occurred on the South Side at . very
early hour this morning. The victim
of the terrible affection was a seaman
named Peter Smell, who resided in the
small tenement house No. 81 Reed
street, owned by Henry Claymier,
Chief Engineer of the Fire Department.
The facts connected with the case, as
related to the reporter by Capt Paul
Harry, of the schooner Mary Lyons,
and Chief Claymier, are as follows:
Capt. Harry, who boarded with Mr..
and Mrs. Smell, had q dog, yellow
mongrel cur. that appeared to have
been voted the freedom of the domicile.
One afternoon late in January or early
in February last, while Smell lay
stretched upon the floor for nap, this
cur, which happenedto be in the room,
discovered scratch on his (Snell's)
nose, and licked it, Smell meanwhile
raising NO objection to the proceeding,
as he, with others, firmly believed in
the curative properties of the saliva of
q canine. The scratch healed and was
soon forgotten, and the death of the
dog, which occurred q week or two
later, under circumstances that led to
the belief that poison had been admin
istered, did not serve to waken any
fears of danger. About a week ago
Smell complained to his wife about q
severe pain in the region of the heart.
1t made an invalid of him, SO to speak,
yet he did not take to his bed, but
walked about the streets as usual. He
was around and about on the streets on
Monday and Tuesday of the present
week. During Tuesday evening or
early Wednesday morning his throat
became affected. The glands swelled
so as to render swallowing difficult,
and the membrane became parched and
feverish, while the pain in the chest
appeared to reach the throat also. DIR.
Sem was called, but the remedies pre-
scribed by him failed to produce any
relief, and as Smell gradually became
worse it was observed that he mani
tested an aversion to water, and at such
times as it was offered appeared to suf-
fer spasmodic convulsion. Then the
incident of the licking of the scratch
on his nose by the dog, and the subse-
quent death Of the animal under pecu-
liar symptoms was recalled, and it be-
came evident to the physician that he
had clear case of hydrophobia on his
hands. He thereupon called in
Drs. Marks, Wolcott, Gr@ttinger and
one other physician whose name can
not be remembered, for purposes of
consultation. but all to no purpose.
Smell rapidly grew worse; the light be-
came painful to his eyes, his aversion
to water seemed to increase, while the
swelling of the throat increased con-
stantly. Food and water had to be in
jected into the stomach at last, as it
was impossible for him to swallow
either solids or fluids. OF course, I'M
der such circumstances, death became
a question OF hours rather than days,
and final dissolution occurred at six
o'clock this morning. During the clos
ing hours of his illness Smell continued
rational, and maintained a harmless
attitude toward those who attended
him. He assured one and all to have
no fear of approaching him as he would
do them no injury, and he was enabled
to keep his word, as his spasms never
rendered it necessary to hold or even
attempt to secure him.
An incident tending to establish the
fact that the dog which caused SHELLS
death was. rabid, is related by Chief
Claymicr. He owned q dog also, that
was constantly at war with Capt. Har-
RVS dog during the winter, and the pair
had many a hard-fought battle. A
week ago Wednesday this dog died, I'M
der circumstances and with symptoms
precisely similar to those manifested
by the Harry cur nine weeks previous.
Chief Claymier says he became con-
WINGED that his dog was afflicted with
rabies of q mild form, and ascribed the
death of the animal to that source at
the time. 1t has also transpired that a
dog owned by grocer at the corner of
Reed and Elizabeth streets, only few
doors south of the Smell residence, man.
Tested symptoms of hydrophobia about
fortnight ago, and was shot by order
of the owner. 1t, too, had no doubt
been bitter by the Harry cur.
Smell was about thirty years of age,
and leaves a wife without children. He
had resided in the tenement where he
died, about two years, and was re-
spected by all who knew him.-Mil-
s0Gskee Wisconsin,.