, 1884-08-27
A QUEER CASE.
A Little Boy Who Uaitss the
characteristics
of the Human Being and the Ca
nine Race.
Startling Effects Which Have Fol-
lowed a Spitz Bite.

ing boy passed the Inter Ocean hotel yes
terdav afternoon.
That little boy" said a prominent
physician, indicating the y~oungster with a
nod of his head. presents one of the
strangest cases to be found in the whole
range of medical literature. 1t is a case,
too, in which l am not as thoroughly
informed as l could wish to be-"
From a few facts mentioned by the
physician the reporter traced up the little
fellows history.
The boys name IS Willie Williams He
was born about ten years ago in Phila-
delphia. Serious arrangements of the
nervous system seems to be hereditary in
the family. The child's father died about
two years ago, but his mother is still Iv-
ing and apparently enjoying reasonably
good health. Little Willie is the young
est of the family, and at least one of his
brothers suffered somewhat from a
nervous complaint resembling St. Vitus'
dance, although he has now completely
outgrown it. From his birth little Willie
has shown evidences of more than usual
precocity. While he was never a robust
child. and had a very fine nervous organ
%ization, he was still by no means sickly.
He has always shown great aptitude in
any study he might undertake. and in
general information and intelligence was
much further advanced thar bovs nj his
age usually are.
One of the boys pets for several years
was a dog, of the Spitz variety, to which
he was very much attached and with
which he continually fondled and played.
When Willie was 9 years of age, or
about a year ago, while foudling the dog
one day the vicious little animal bit
him in the wrist. The wound made was
neither large nor deep, and could be con
sidered as little more than an abrasion of
the skin, although some blood flowed
from it.
The mother was naturally alarmed. al
though she hid her fears from the child.
The dog was at once killed and the wound
made by the bite cauterized. As time
passed and no bad effects were noticeable
upon the child, the matter was gradually
lost sight Of.
Nine weeks from the day upon which
the little boy was bitten he suffered from
a startling spasmodic attack.
Without any previous sign of what was
coming, he suddenly fell into an uncon-
scious condition. His limbs and body be-
came perfectly stiff and rigid, his jaw was
tightly set and a frothy saliva issued from
his mouth. His eyes were wide open and
staring. In the course of probably a min
ute the rigidity Of his body disappeared,
and at irregular intervals fierce spasms
shook his frame. In the intervals of the
spasms he crouched along the floor assum-
ing all the characteristic canine attitudes
and emitting low, ~deep-toned growls.
Sometimes he would lie perfectly still,
apparently assembling. When attention
seemed to be distracted from him he would
crouch cautiously forward. then suddenly
spring toward his attendants, swapping
v~iciously like a rabid dog. The first at
tack was the most alarming to his friends,
although other attacks followed at inter
walls of a few days.
The mother of the boy was comfortably
well-to-do and Immediately employed a
reputable physician to look after the case.
The boy failed to improve, however, and
the case was finally given into the hands
of one of the most noted specialists
in nervous diseases now living. After be-
ing kept under treatment for. some time,
this physician informed the mother that
there was no hope for her son from medi-
cation. he would either eventually out
grow the trouble, the doctor said. or he
would die during the process.
For several months the boy has lived
here and strange to say, notwithstanding
the rare6ed atmosphere. he has seemed to
improve somewhat. His attacks have not
been less frequent, but usually, though
not ALWAYS, they have been of a milder
character.
All of his old peculiarities, however,
stick to him. In walking along the street
with a friend his tendency is to jog along
behind a step or two, and it seems impos-
sible to break him of this habit. He is
very tender-hearted and susceptible and
when fondled his manners become fawning
and his greatest expression of pleasure
seems to take the form of playfully bit
ing whoever is occupying his attention.
This too, when be is in his normal frame
of mind.
He never has any recollection of what
transpires during one of his strange seiz-
ures.
Seen upon the street, alone, nobody
would remark any special strangeness in
his demeanor. When particular attention
is directed to him something indcfnably
peculiar is noticed about him.
During one of his spasms his whole
nature seems to change, and the gentle,
rather difident boy, is transformed into
what is little less than a rabid animal. At
such times it requires the united efforts of
three strong men to hold him down and
prevent him from harming himself or
those around him. Frequently it is nee
essary to almost smother him with
pillows to quiet him and prevent him
from biting some of the attendants.