The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1886-08-12
HOW TO PREVENT HYDRoPHoBIA.
Gen. Bea1c Relates How He Escaped
an Attack by Mere VIII Power
Ills Daughters Experience.


Long Branch correspondent of The
NeW York World. Last Sunday heard
the general give an interesting account
of his once fighting off an attack of ny
drophobia. 1t is the first case | ever
heard of a mans being able by mere
will power to throw off this formidable
and terrible disease. The general ap-
parently believes that hydrophobia is
but Z creation, to a certain extent, of
the imagination. When he was a young
man he was surveyor general in south
ern California. During his residence
there, through the purchase of land, he
laid the foundation for his present for
tune. His ~favorite sport at that time
was the hunting of wolves. Immediate
ly following the attack n wolf would
always leave the dogs and come to at
tack the hunter. The general said one
day when a wolf came toward him the
lance, with which he could keep off and
destroy any wolf making an ordinary
attack, broke. As bis lance broke he
started to kick the wolf under the jaw.
His foot missed its aim, and instead
was caught in the VOLTS mouth. The
wolf bit clear through his moccasin
and wounded him severely. So grim
was the grip of the wolf that he did not
even release his hold when killed. The
muscles supporting his jaws had to be
u before his teeth could be relaxed
from this terrible grip. When the gen.
eral returned to camp, as he was alone
during his experience, he was met by a
cheerful companion, who told him the
bite of an cnraged wolf was certain to
produce hydrophobia. The wolf was
undoubtedly in Il condition to commu-
nicatc the rabies, as he had been wor-
ried to a great extent by the dogs be-
fore he attacked the general. Gen.
Beale says that he did not have any
opportunity of cauterizing the wounds,
and had attached no particular impor-
lance to the bite until he had returned
to camp.
He said after that there was hardly a
day passed but what his companion re-
ferred to eases of hydrophobia arising
from wolf-bites. The result of this con-
tinued talk upon the subject was to
produce a great depression in Gen.
Beale's mind. Within a short time he
began to feel symptoms of an approach
ing attack of hydrophobia. He had the
most extraordinary aversion t. water.
1t was with difficulty that he could
swallow. A swelling came in his
throat which threatened to close it
whenever he sought to drink. 1t was
only by an extraordinary effort of the
will that he could force himself to swal-
low. One day the general said to him.
sell that unless he combated this grow
ing feeling he felt certain he would
have an attack of hydrophobia So
one morning he walked deliberately to
a spring and thrust his head into the
watc-. He said as he approached his
head to the water he felt the most in
tense desire to jump and scream and
run away from it. But he held himself
right there and moved his head up and
down in the water until he conquered
this impulse and the aversion. He fol-
lowed up this practice until he felt the
swelling in the throat going down and
his aversion to water lessening. He
felt that he was getting control, and
this encouraged him. In a short time
all symptoms of the disease had disap-
pearcd. The general was firmly con-
WINGED that if he had for moment
relaxed his will power during that try
ing time he would have passed directly
into a fit of the widest kind of hydro
phobia. He has never suffered from
the b tie of the wolf since that time. al
though it occurred over twenty-five
years ago.
1t is a singular fact in this connection
that another member of his family who
has been bitten by a dog which was I'M
deniably mad had also escaped hydro
phobia. His daughter Mary married a
distinguished Russian, a member of the
diplomatic service of his native country.
Several years ago they were living in
Paris. The husband was connected
with the Russian legation. Gen.
Beale's daughter had at one time a
sta hound of unusual size and purity
of breed. 1t was very docile and her
favorite companion. He nearly always
went out with her. One day the dog
disappeared. As he was a great pet
and Il dog of unusual value they adj
vertised for him, and sought through
NE ponce TO recONeT ulm. Olle HlSut
while the Russian diplomatic and his
wife were seated about an open fire in
their salon after returning from the
opera, there was a knock at the door.
This was so unusual at this late hour of
the night that the Russian went HIM
self to answer the knock. As the door
opened two men entered having the lost
dog attached to a stout stick, which
held him between them, but yet kept
them at Il safe distance. Gen. Beale's
son-in-law was delighted to see the dog
again. The dogs mistress was es-
pecially pleased. The dog, however
showed no sign of pleasure or recogni-
ton. He went owe into an opposite
corner and would not pay any attention
to their calls. They thought that he
might feel strange and SO paid no
further attention to him. Suddenly,
without even a bark of warning, this
great dog sprang and bit his mistress
right through the upper lip, and then
on her cheek before her husband could
reach the stout collar which still en-
circled the dogs neck. The Russian
succeeded in half a moment in drag