Huntsville gazette., 1884-09-06

Thirty-two Negroes, Having Partaken OF
the Flesh Of Hogs that ID ed from the Bites
of Rabid Dog, Seized with Hydrophobia
-Tae MaIady Among the Mules-A Race
for Life from a mad Muie-A Scared Com
munity.
EUFALA, Ala, August 29.
This neighborhood Is in a state OF
tremendous excitement over the whole-
sale spread of hydrophobia on the planta-
tion of Punch Doughtle. DR.. e. B.
Johnson has just returned from Mr..
Doughtie's plantation, where be had been
summoned. He found thirty-two per-
sons suffering with disease which he at
once pronounced hydrophobia in mild
form. All the sufferers are negroes.
Three of them are desperately sick, one
being iE the throes OF deli,ium and SO low
that the doctor says he Is liable to die
at any moment. More than three
weeks ago hog bitten by dog died on
Mr.. Doughtie's plantation, and the car
cass was given to the negroes to be con-
verted into soap grease. Instead OF utll-
izing it for this purpose, thirty-two ne
groes on the place and in the nelghbor-
hood ate the flesh of the hog. MIR.
Doughtie says that on July 25 one OF his
dogs went mad and bit mule and sew
eral hogs. On August l3 the first hog
died, and was eaten by the negroes. Two
more died on August is, one on August
90 and one on August 27, and all were
eaten except the last, when the par
takers of the poisoned flesh be-
came sick The mule exhibited signs
of madness on the nineteenth day alter
being bitten. Eleven days after the first
IF
taken. Two days ago another dog was
discovered to be mad, and was killed al
ter having bitten mule. Another dog
on the lot is now housed, and will be
experimental with for Il cure. The dog
that bit the mule and hogs disappeared,
and the whole neighborhood is in terror
lest he went am ng cattle and hogs
throughout the place before dying.
dozen out of the thirty-two eat
ers of the affected hogs are
seriously sick, and the developments
among the others are awaited with the
greatest interest. DIR. Johnston, an able
physician, says it Is a terrible case and
that he fears the worst. He says that it
would not surprise him If the greater
number of the thirty two persons should
die. few days ago Mr.. Doughtie rode
out, at the request of field hand, to in
spect the condition of one OF
his mules, which was acting
strangely. On reaching the pas
ture where dozen mules were, the
animal which Mr.. Doughtie was riding
neighed, which attracted the attention OF
the other animals, and the sick o par
ticu ariy, which Immediately rushed on
of the the animal an With tina 1 MS teetn @ s'e
Doughtie dismounted and succeeded In
uoosening the mad mules hold; but no
sooner was this done than the infuriated
beast turned upon his owner, who
He'd for his life, pursued by the
mule. There was desperate race
of quarter of mie throu b.
undergrowth, and Mr.. Doughtie oniy
saved himself by lodging around sap
iings. A small stretch OF Clearing inter-
vened between tn woVds and the house,
and the terrified man t, ok lie and
death chance on making it. Before leav-
ing the woods the mule had bitten out
piece of Mr.. Doughtic's coat, and while
lmannvering around the tree the animal
bit himself savagely in several places,
tearing out mouthful OF flesh each
time The race for the b use was
a close one, and just as
Mr.. Doughte reached the top of the
fence, the mule overlook him, but IN
stead of reaching his victim, struck MS
head against fence post in the wild rush
and was knocked senseless. The mu
was afterwards killed by Mr.. Doughtie.
1t is now reported that the whole herd OF
mules are affected. Many of them have
leaped the fences and will Doubtless
spread the disease among other animals
in the neighborhood. The community is
at a loss no w to arrest The disease.