The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-10-07
fNer York TIms..l

went down stairs TO the basement OF bel
residence, No. 145 Grand street, she dis
covered a young man, apparently in grea
agony. lying In the area. She went &c
call her husband, aud the two recog
nized the sufferer as Henry l.. Marti-
nette, their daughter Armies accepted
sutton. They carried him into the house
and laid him on sofa. DIR. Abcrcrombis
was first summoned, and then DR.. Youlin
but despite their efforts Martnette died ir
| great agony about 3 O'Clock In the morn.
| ing. Both the physicians pronounced it ar
unmistaksble case OF bydrophobla. Marti
nette was well known in the city. He was
a member OF Company 4, Fourth regiment
and was also connected with Hook-and
Ladder Company No. /. He was nearly
twenty.six years old, and had always been
| in the employ OF his father, who keeps Q
grocery-store st the eorper of Sussex
and Van Worst streets. The family resided
over the store. Eleven years ago a small
pet dog belonging 10 him was attacked
and bitten by a rabid dog. A policeman
endeavored to destroy both animals, and
succeeded in killing the mad dog. but only
wounded the other. Young Martinettc
found his pet animal bleeding and covered
with mud and dirt. lie took II to the canal
near his home TO wash 1t, but the animal
seemed terrified at the sight Of the water,
and attempted to run away. Msrtinette
tried 10 throw IL into the water, when IL
seized his thumb and bit 1t, causing the
blood to flow. The boy ran home and told
his parents what had happened. They i'm.
medlately took him to DR.. Headden's Office,
where the wound was csuterized. The next
day the dog developed symptoms OF rabies,
| LII M snta
manned in state OF alarm for some time,
but finally their fears subsided, and the bite
was forgotten.
| On Wednesday OF last week Martinette
went with the Fourth regiment, e,corting
the remains OF General Torbert to Pbladel-
phia. On his return he complained OF pains
In bis right arm and on the right side Of his
neck. The next morning his condition bad
grown worse, but he attributed his fitness
TO cold contracted while away. On Thurs
day evening Msrtinette took to bis bed, and
DR.. Abercrombie was summoned. The pa
tient grew rapidly worse and was seized
with succession OF spasms, during which
he foamed at the mouth, snapped his teeth
violently together, and gagged and choked.
| He was unconscious the n eater part OF the
| time, and was possessed OF remarkable
strength. AS his unfsvorable symptoms rap
| idly developed information Of his illness was
sent 10 Miss Greene and her parents. They
visited him and found him delirious and eX-
tremely violent. Miss Greene approached
and spoke TO him, and immedistelya change
came over him. The tones OF her voice
seemed to have an influence which Gained
| him. The delirium appeared to have LEI,
HIM, and he conversed quite nationally. The
visitors had no sooner left the room, how
ever. than he again became violent, and the
attacks OF spasms returned with increased
fury. Martinette took an aversion to DR..
| Abercrombie, and had GelusiOn that he
and his own parents had in some way form
ed conspiracy to send him to a hospital.
On Sunday morning DR.. Abercrombe pro-
nounced the case one Of uDmistakable n.y.
drophobia, and so informed MartiDette's
parents. Sunday afternoon DIR. Youlin was
called in, and he agreed that the patient
was suffering from hydrophoba. Yesterday
morning at 4 O'clock Nartinette got out OF
bed. dressed himself, and started 10 sc
down stairs. He had reached the hall door,
when his parents intercepted and tried to
detain him. He violently broke away from
them and ran down the street. His father
went back to put on his clothing. but
when he reached the street the fugitive
had disappeared. 1t was shortly after
that time that Mrs. Greene found him
lying in the area aud removed him into
| the house. DR.. AbercroBbie was imme-
| diatey called. He found the patient foam
ing at the mouth and gssping spasm0di.
cally. Martnette recognized the Doctor,
and refused with great violence to let him
approach him. DR.. Youlin was then sent
for. and on seeing tue sufferer was more
| hon hot ~ q pasp
bydropbobia, and said he could not live
more than a few hours. Mr.. Greene was
very indignant at the doctors for ex-
pressing their opinion in the patients
hearing, but they said he could not
comprehend anything that was said.
MIR. Greene denied this, and said that
Martinette had talked with him very ra-
tionaly. Martlnette repeatedly begged the
Greenes not to allow him TO be sent 10 the
hospital, and they assured him they would
not. Mr.. and Mrs. Martinette were inform
| ed OF their sons whereabouts, and on their
arrival consultation was held. During its
progress DR.. Abercrombe remained in the
| room with Martinette, but the latter got up
and drove him out, throwing a spittoon at
him. At Q O'Clock the sufferer went into
violent spasms. He writhed aud foamed at
| the mouth. His face and neck grew black,
and he went into fit, in which be died.
Drs. Abercrombie and YOuIin are phys-
clans OF the homeopathic school. DIR. YOU
lin said yesterday afternoon there never
was a more clear!y-defned case OF hydro
phobia in the world. He had never before
heard OF case in which the disease de-
velOped eleven years after the bite was
given, but he had heard OF case in which
the disease made its aDDearance after seven
years. The Doctor said that when he first
saw the patient one OF bis complaints was
OF a pain 10 his thumb, where he had
been bitten. During his paroxysms be
became perfectly furious and uncontrol-
liable. Drs. Abercrombie Youlin and he de-
termned to give him chloroform, but
before they could administer it be died
in a spasm. His sufierings were terrible to
witness. II believe" added DR.. YOulin,
Martinette's aversion to DR.. Abercrombie
was due to the fact that Abercrombie had
told him be had hydroDhobia." DR.. Varlck,
Surgeon-Gcneral OF New Jersey, and his
| son, DR.. w. w. Varck, both. physicians OF
the old school, are positive in their belief
that Drs. Abercrombie and Youlin were
wrong in their diagnosis OF the case. DR..
W. W. Varick said: elf the patient was
told that he had hydrophobia, his death
probably resulted as much from fright as
from any other cause"