Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-12-24

sevcras- Persons ssitten by DOgs-A
Crusade Begun.

MILWAUKEE, Wis, Dec. 16.-There is u
seeming epidemic OF hydrophobih raging
on the west side nf the city. One hoy has
died, the life of enothnr IL despaired Of,
and number OF oht'tl"cn are Senrred hy
partly healed won,'ds illat may develop ,he
maIady Mt any moment. Many dogs that
have inoculateA tho poison from bites ARC
under restraint, Init large numhor are
still running wild, and there is no telling TO
what extent the dread infection will spread
The dog to first develop the symptoms
was q huge Newfoundland, the property Of
II wealthy resident Of tho Ninth ward. Three
weeks ago Johnny Whedon and COM
panion We're playing, when the Newfound-
land came bounding down the street, his
tongue banging from his mouth and dis
charges of froth marking each leap. The
people on the sidewalks fled in all direc-
tions, but the shouted warming that "a
mad dog" was approaching was com
pretended by the boys too late.
As they turned to fee the Newfoundland
jumped on the Whedon boy bore him to the
ground and bit him over the right eye. The
dog then continued on his mad course with
out inflicting further injury on young Whe-
don or assailing his companion, but before
he was captured he had bitten several of
the smaller dogs of the neighborhood. A
physician dressed the Whedon boys wound.
1t soon healed, and within few days he
was about us usual.
Last Saturday he complained Of racking
pains. At night he grew rapidly worse and
finally Mortified HIS parents by growing and
barking like dog. Arising In bed, Ills
eyes distendcd and froth issuing in mad
hemorrhage from his lips, he snarled and
snapped his jaws few moments and then
fell over In spasm. He was bound to the
bed and physicians prescribed all possible
remedies and reliefs, but without avail
This evening he is considered beyond re-
covery. He refuses to partake of any kind
of food, and the sight of water throws him
Into frigntful commissions. The day follow
ing that upon which young Whedon re-
ceived his death wound George Nagle-
schmidt, an 11-year-old boy, was severely
bitten on both legs by an unknown dog.
While his parents We're considering the ad-
visibility of having him treated ut the
county hospital, symptoms similar to those
in Whedon's case appeared, and, after two
weeks Of spasm and voluntary starvation,
the boy died last Friday.
The Newfoundland, alter his attack upon
the Whedon lad, crossed an open field and
overlook the eight-year-old daughter of
John Groll, in front of her house. He tore
the cloak md dress from her back, but did
not succeed in seriously lncerating her.
The wounds, though the skin is broken In
two places, are slight and considered harm
less by the physicians who have examined
thcm. Continuing down Sycamore street,
tho lahid animal bit tho large Newfound-
land dog Of Mr.. James Hansen. The latter
dog was killed hya policeman. How many
others the first Newfoundland inoculated is
not known.
Friday a dog was killed on Galena street,
after having bitten half dozen CANNES,
and it was demonstrated by post mortem
examination that the dead animal had had
hydrophobia. Early yesterday morning
another mad dog was shot at the corner Of
Eleventh and Chestnut streets, and thi,
morning third one was killed near the
same place. The residents of the west sid
are afraid to 90 into the streets, and an extra
detail of policemen are protecting them
with orders to shoot down every dog that
shows the least symptoms of madness.