News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-09-25
MEN AND MULES RUN MAD.
AN EPIDEMIC OF HYDROPHOBlA ON
AN ALABAMA PLANTATION.

Tbirty-two Negroes Sick from Eating a rig
,b,t b.d been Bitten by n Mad DOg-The
PIon,er,s Wild Race to Escape Mad NUE.
A dispatch from Eufaula, Ala, dated
Aug. 2Sth says:-The people IN this
neiphborhood are in state of tremen-
dous excitement over the wholesale
spread of hydrophobia on the plantation
of Punch Doughtie. DIR. E. B. johnson
has just returned from Mr.. Doughtles
plantation where he had been sum-
moned. He found thirty-two persons
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
in the throes of delirium, and so low
that the doctor says he is liable to die
at any moment.
More than three weeks ago hog lit
ten by a dog died on Mr.. Doughtie's
plantation and was given to the negroes
to be converted into soap grease. In
stead of utilizing it for this purpose,
thirty-two negroes on the place and Ill
the neighborhood ate the flesh OF the
hog.
Mr.. Doughtie says that on July 25,
one of his dogs went mad and bit mule
and several hogs. On Aug. 13, the first
hog died. and was eaten by the negroes.
Two more died on Aug IS, one on Aug.
%. and one on Aug. 27, and all were
eaten except the last, when the partak-
ers of the poisoned flesh became sick.
The mule exhibited signs of madness on
the nineteenth day after being bitten.
Eleven days after the hog was eaten, ten
of the negroes were taken sick. Two
DAYS ago another dog was discovered to
be mad. and was killed after having bit
ten mule. Another dog on the lot IS
now housed, and will be experimental
with for cure. The dog that bit the
mule and hogs disappeared, and the
whole neighborhood is in terror Jest
he went among the cattle and hogs
throughout the belt before dying.
A dozen out of the thirty-two eaters
of the affected hogs are seriously sick,
and the developments among the others
are awaited with the greatest interest.
DR.. johnson, an able physician, says
that it is 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 died.
A few days ago Mr.. Doughtie rode
out at the request of a field hand, to
inspect the condition Of one of his mules.
which was acting strangely. On reach
ing the pasture where a dozen mules
were, the animal Mr.. Doughtie was
riding neighed, which attracts. "he at
| tention of the other animals, and TIE slcE
one particularly, which Immediately
rushed on the mule and rider, and seizec
| the saddle of the animal with his teeth
MIR. Doughtie dismounted and succeeded
in Ioosening the mad mules hold, bu
no sooner was this done than the infuri
rated beast turned upon his owner, VIII
fed for his life, pursued by the mule
There was a desperate race of a quartz
of mile through undergrowth, and MIR
Doughtie only saved himself by dodglni
around saplings. A small stretch
clearing intervened between the woods
and the house, and the terrified ma
took -and-death chance on maxim
it. Before leaving the woods the mul
had bitten out piece of Mr.. Doughtie'
coat. and while maneuvring around th
tree. the animal bit himself savagely /
several places, tearing out mouthful
flesh each time. The race for the hous
was close one, and just as Mr.. Dough
tie reached the top of the fence tn
mule overlook him on dead run, bu
instead of reaching his victim. struc
his head against a fence post in a vii
rush and was knocked senseless. Th
mule was afterward killed by Nj
Doughtie.
1t is now reported that the who
herd of mules are affected. Many (
them have leaped the fen ices and wi
doubtless, spread the disease anon
other animals in the neighborhood. I'll
community is at loss how to arrest tt
: disease.