Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-14
A HORRIBLE DEATH.
The SufferingS or IL Woman Who Died
Of HydrophobIa,

A"y"ESPhoOAos
Mrs. Elizabeth Quicker, a victim of
hydrOphObia, died at Reading. Pa, last
week in terrible agony. She rested
comparatively easy during her last
night and her condition seemed some
what improved in the morning. She
was kept under the influence of drugs
all night. She set up in bed and lean
ed forward, with both her hands on the
bed and her head resting down and
against the post. In this position she
seemed to feel more at ease. She re-
fused to lie down and said she would
strangle if she did. Hypodermic in
jectiOns of mOrphia were made in her
right arm near the spot that had been
torn and lacerated by the dog. She re-
marked to a lady by her bedside, "Oh
Maggie, stay With me all night. L
Know must die, and when | get to
neaven I'll pray for you" She remain
ed awake all night and was very much
exhausted at o'clock. Her two
daughters, aged 10 and II, were shortly
aiterward admitted to her room and a
painful interview ensued. She told
them it was their last meeting, as she
would have to die.
Subsequently she became very vio-
lent, and at noon was in terrible spasms.
Her throat was paralyzed, and the sight
OF water threw her into violent conyul-
siOns. After the spasm had subsidized
she became conscious, and remarked
that she was burning with internal heat.
She was wet with perspiratiOn, and her
efforts to get breath was terrible i6the
extreme. She CRASHED her teeth in
snapping-hke way. Crowds eon@ega-
ted in the vicinity, and the siekening
noises and groans brought tears to the
eyes of many wOmenand children. Her
fingers turned black and blue. About
! O'Clock came her last conscious mo-
ment. She gazed around her with
terrible look of despair. She believed
to the very last moment that she was
dying of heart disease. Shortly before
2O'elOek her head dropped to one side.
She became quiet and her muscles re-
Taxed. Her breath came short and
quick. Considerable frOth emerged
from her mouth. A few minu ties before
> o'clock she died from SutfOcatiOn.
Mrs. Quicker was bitten in the right
forearm by a dog on June 10Th. An
hour after she was bitten she summon
ed a doctor. The wound was a deep
one and was Immediately cauterized by
the doctor, who also gave Mrs. Quicker
a preparation TO be takan internally.
In twenty or thirty days the wound was
healed, the medical treatment having
In the meantliIc bvvu continued, 90
well as the application to the wound,
and about four weeks ago the woman
called at the doctors office and report
ed that her arm was as well rs eyer,eX-
cept that a numbneSs was felt in the
arm. This was regarded as the natural
result of the injury sustained by the
nerves, and Mrs. Quicker went about
her work as usual until "Wednesday at
ternoon. About 3 o'clock that after
noon the doctor was summoned, as
Mrs. Quicker had been suddenly attack
ed with with what she thought was val
vular contraction of the heart, as a near
relative had died of heart disease about
a year ago. Mrs. Quicker, who stated
to the physician that she had been una
BILE to sleep during the
previous night, and seemed to suf-
fer from rheumatic pains in the arm
and back. She was alsa very much de-
pressed, and exhibited unusual nervous
symptoms. Medicine was given her,
and after it tablespoonful OF water.
FROM the manner in which she then
acted it flashed upon the doctor that his
patient was suffering from hydrOphobia.
All the symptoms of the disease were
manifest. She exhibited some aversion
to the water, but when asked if she were
afraid ST the water she answered that
she was not, but that she was afraidiof
stif1inV-Of losing her breath. From
O'clock Wednesday afternoon, at inter-
walls of from five to ten minutes, she
continued to have paroXysms OF about
a minutes duration. At these times 1t
was impossible to hold her still, and her
sufferings from the terrible malady were
dreadful. Up too o'clock Wednesday
evening she was able to take liquid
medicine. When the spasms subsidized
the woman recovered consciousness per-
fectly. She showed great will-power IN
her efforts to control her extreme ner-
vousness. Her only fear was that she
would become stifled, as any attempt 10
swallow necessitated great efforts.