The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-05
POISONED BY AN ANT-EATER.
Approaching Death of an Attendant in a
Dime Museum-A Slow Poison.

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Approaching Death of an Attendant in a
Dime Museum-A Slow Poison.
New York Herald.
"Do you see those two scratches on the back
of my handl'' Edward D. Howe, an employe at
the Seaside Aquarium at Coney Island, asked
Frank Wilson, also employed at the same estab-
lishuent. THAT cursed ant-eater did it. Will
It do me any harmF
'You are a dead man, that's ALL" answered
Wilson.
Last night Howe lay on his cot in the erysipe-
las pavilion at Bellevue hospital, his face terri
bly, emaciated, his CLASSY eyes rolling uneasily,
breathing labored and difficult, his life fast ebb-
ipg away. The scratches were made on the 10Th
of last September. Wilson's prophecy is being
fulfilled.
"He has but a few hours to live, :" said DR..
Stokes to the Herald reporter as last evening
they stood by the bedside of the dying man.
! From the Doctor and the nurse in attendance
was obtained a history of the case since Howe's
admission to the hospital on the 14th of last
month. On the Doth of September, directly fol
towing the scratches, the fatal inroad on his
health and life no doubt began-slow, subtle,
sure-a deeply underlying mystery in the physi-
cal economy that surpassed human ken. Call it
blood poisoning, call it whatever the doctors
may, it is doing its deathly work all the same.
The subtle poison, as insidious as the bite of the
rattlesnake or cobra, or of a rabid dog, made
swift progress after the man was brought to the
hospital.
''You should see him toss and rave and hear
him scream said the nurse. 81 have been here
many years, but never saw anything like 1t. A
heavy, muscular man. and endowned with ex-
traordlnary strength, it took several to hold him.
He had such violent paroXysms and Of such long
continuance that it became necessary to fasten
him to the bed. He is quiet enough now,
though. There will be but one more struggle
the struggle with death"
"How long did this paroxysm continuep
"Until last Friday he has eaten no solid food
since he has been here, and is but a mere
skeleton now"
The man Wilson, whose name is given above,
was seen by the Herald reporter. The scratches
on Howes hand, he said, cut through the skin.
He put a sticking plaster over them, but Howe
at once began to fail. and as he was poor and
could not employ a physician. and had no com
Portable home and was rapidly growing worse,
Wilson took him to the hospital, knowing that
he would then receive proper treatment, and
that in this lay the only hope of his recovery.
He told how Howe received his scratches. 1t APP
pears that the latter was trying to feed the ant
eater, and in doing so attempted to push a jar
into the lower part of the compartment of the
box occupied by the animal that scratched him.
This ant-eater was particularly vicious. As the
jar did not go in easily Howe put his right hand
into the box to pull it In. Quicker than thought
the vicious inmate scratched him.
HE is paying the penalty of his own careless
ness and disobedience to orders" was the ex-
PLANTATION given by Mr.. Meehan, one-of the pro
prietors Of the Dime Museum at No. 29S
Bowery. This is the less ambitious metro
politan name of the Seaside Aquarium" "A
fine wire screen" continued MIR. Meehan, twas
placed about the box to keep the curious visitors
from meddling with the animals. A sign,
Hands of-dangerous, was also placed in close
proximity as q timely warning. Howe was not
very bright. and we kept him more out of com
passion than anything else. He remained at
Coney Island looking after the odds and ends of
what we left there, including the box Of ant
eaters. If he had let them alone be might have
been well to-day. Still, he was badly broken up
and his blood out of order, and that made him
> more susceptible, probably, to poisonous infu-
ences."
1t would be hard to conceive more wretched
apartments than those lately occupied by Howe
at Dol Mulberry street. Squalor. filth, poverty
and wretchedness are there presented in the
most pitiabie combination
1.-THE life of poor Howe has been a most I'M
lucky one" said the inmate of an adjoining
room. Il have known him many years. He
was always reticent about his early history. At
one time he was a machinjst. Some years ago
his wife separated from him. A son lived with
him"
1t is unnecessary to describe the South Amer
lean ant-eater, or the myrmecophaSa jubata, as
they are called. Its bushy tail and long and
pointed ~proboscis are familiar to nearly every
body. There is tho ant bear, of the same genus,
but the noxious animal, from the bite OF which
Howe is dying, belongs to Il smaller species.