Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-10
A HORRIBLE DEATH.
A Young Boy in Philadelphia Dies of
Hydrophobia After the Most Appalling


Young Boy in Philadelphia Dies OF
Hydrophobia After the Most Appalling
Agony.
Special Telegram to the Globe.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 8.-Harry l.. Smith
cash boy aged eight, died yesterday from
hydrophobia. Some nine weeks ago the
boy sat on stool in one of the shopping
aisles carelessly swinging his right arm to
and fro. Almost before he was aware of
the fact, his hand was seized by black
and tan terrier dog. The lad uttered a
cry, and endeavored to draw his hand
from the brute's mouth. The animal
only chung, and it was not until little Har-
ry had lifted it clear off the floor that the
dog released his hold. Crying with pain
and thoroughly frightened, the boy ran
to one of the sales women and begged her
to tell him what to do. The terrier had
left marks of his teeth in the flesh in the
boys hand and blood flowed freely from
the wound. All the horrors of hydropho
bia besieged the terrified lady's mind.
Giving the lad some money he went to a
drug store with instructions to have the
wound cauterized with a red hot iron in
order to thoroughly remove all possibility
of the disease. The druggist, however,
relieved the boys fears by making light
of the matter, and the wound soon healed.
From that time until last week Harry en-
joyed good health. His eyes, however.
became weak under the influence of
the electric light in the store, and
as time wore on the pain he suffered
from this cause perceptibly increased.
Last Wednesday symptoms were manifest
ed. Then he returned home, complaining
of a severe headache. He said: Mamma,
I've been sick all day" At that time was
suffering from raging fever. Through
out the night he was very i'll, and on the
following day grew much worse. All this
time his mind was Eighty, and his eyes be
came fixed with horrible stare. He talked
necessarily, and in partially unintelligi-
BILE strain. Finally he complained that his
throat was parched, and called for water.
When the fluid was brought to him his
whole frame underwent involuntary con-
traction. Although he insisted upon
drinking the water, it was only after
the most violent effort that he
swallowed it. On Friday physician was
called, but upon learning the nature of
the case declined to prescribe, saying that
it would be useless, as nothing on earth
could save the lad. Agnew was sent for,
but before he arrived the youthful sufferer
had several violent commissions. During
his raYing he barked and snapped like
dog, and foamed at the mouth. His mind
had totally fed. Nothing could quiet him.
In addition the scar on his right hand be-
come red and irritable. In his agony, the
little fellow endeavored to climb upon one
of the posts of the old fashioned bed. The
father, although man of muscular frame,
was unable to hold him down,
and assistance was necessary to subdue
him. At 7 in the evening both physicians
arrived. They at once pronounced the lad
fatally afflicted with hydrophobia and be-
yond relief. The only thing that could be
done was to administer an@sthetics so that
the youthful sufferer might pass away
quietly. Morphine was then given the boy
and he became quiet. His rawlings ceased
and he occasionally, after violent effort,
sat upright in bed. At 2 o'clock on Satur-
day afternoon he called for water. glass
was given him, and although the effort
nearly choked him to death, he swallowed
every drop. At this time his eyes were
twice their natural size, and almost burst
ing from their sockets. Shortly after he
became blind. At o'clock the little fell
low was corpse.