The New York herald., 1879-07-08
WAS IT HYDROPHOBLA?
New York, July 6, 1879.

New York. July 6. 1879.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
My attention has been called to q professional
criticism of case Of hydrophobia which in its
original character under my observation.
am willing enough to pass over without comment
the unmistakable lack Of courtesy of which those
gentlemen were guilty who conducted the autopsy
without reference to the opinion OF the physician
who first had charge of the case. But, to proceed
without delay to true statement Of all the facts
connected with it. permit to set them forth as
succinctly as possible.
On the morning of the Sd inst. was called to see
Captain Summers. Of the barge Echo. who then
planned occasional spasm of the muscles that
side over the respiratory function. together with
difficult degluttion and shortly after adherence
for the sight and sound of water. These fscts,
coupled with previous experience in the matter.
forced my attention to the suspicion of hydro
phobia The information volunteered by menu
Der Of the family that the had been
severely bitten by a cat the foregoing month Of
December shed unexpected light on the trouble.
and almost concluded that my surmise was cor
rect. In order order. however. to guard against too
more closely, and observed the following facts -
The man. while in perfect possession of his rational
faculties and disposed to follow out the directions Of
his physician to the very utmost exhibited an in
tense dislike, not only to the sight and sound Of
him with distressing alarm. This circumstance is
most significant. as shown by the testimony Of the
weightiest authorities on observation-disclosures
Trousseau, Ecke, Fleming et al.
Spasmodic action confined to those muscles
chiefly concerned in swallowing and breathing.
while the other muscles remained in state OF relax
alton. Each time that the gurgling sound of water
reached his ears the muscles mentioned stood
rigidly out and he became livid with His eye
balls seemed ready to start their sockets his
eyes were filed with wild and wandering spccula-
ton. and he gasped like diowning for breath.
In the intervals during which no offer of water
made he became calm. rational and composed
free from pain OF every sort and i'll manner dis
posed 20 vomt. Strange it Is, in view OF the
sapient conclusion reached by post nortem critics,
that at the most violent stage the disease there
tendency to emess. These facts would lead
the most ordinary observer to the suspicion OF hy-
drophobia, and have no doubt discreet authorities
slender grounds.
WORD ABOUT THE posr-MoETEM.
So far my testimony is positive IL support Of my
view. Now. word or two against the post
mortem theory. DIR. Griswold says that
the stomach inhamed. therefore the
of irritant poisoning. Dr. Tanner
and others contend that an infiamed condition of
the mucous coat of the stomach is usual concomt-
ant OF hydrophobia. Dr. Griswold says that prob
ably the poison either suphuric acid arsenic.
In either case tho patient while swallowing oceans OF
water. would still cry out. water. water every
where and not a drop to drink" In word, unless
allow oficalized sciolism to bear down facts and
common sense am confident that no sensible con-
:luson can be reached in regard to the case of Cap
tain Summers. except that he died OF hydrophobia.
Moreover u few hurried hours of observation made
upon man who had been driven over the rough
streets OF New York in an uncomfortable ambulance
and in moribund state is not likely to determine
anything in the interest OF science. do not desire
to obtain for my diagnosis of the case aught more
than the facts as set forth justify; but do protest
against the hasty and seemingly arrogant manner in
which the opinion of conscientious ply scian is
ignored and theory is accepted without much ref
d. EDWIN oNEIL, MD.