Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-08-05
Will Power.
FIGHTING AGAINST THE HYpRorHoBIA.
THE EXPERIENCE OF GENERAL BEALE AND
his DAUGHTER.


Last Sunday heard General Beale give
an interesting account Of his once fighting
an attack of hydrophobia- 1t is the first
case have ever heard Of mans being able
by mere will power to throw off this formid-
able and terrible disease. The general ap-
parently believes that hydrophobia is but
creation to n certain extent Of the imagina-
ton. When he was young man he was
surveyor general in Southern California.
During his residence there, through the pur-
chase Of land he laid the foundation for his
present fortune. His favorite sport at that
time was the hunting Of wolves. The hun
ters would go out armed with lances and
follow trained dogs. The dogs would run
down the wolves Immediately following
the attack one wolf would always leave the
dogs and come 10 attack the hunter. The
general said one day when a wolf came to-
wards him the lance, with which he could
easily keep off and destroy any wolf making
any ordinary attack. broke. As his 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 moccasn 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 cut before his teeth could be
relaxed from this terrible grip. When the
general returned to camp, as he was alone
during this experience, he was met by a
cheerful companion, who told him that the
bite Of an enraged wolf was certain to pro-
duce hydrophobia. The wolf was und0ub,-
edly IL a condition 10 communicate the
rabies, as he had been worried by the dogs
before he attacked the general General
Reale says he did not have any opportdnit,
Of cauterlzing the wounds, and had attached
no particular importance To the bite until he
returned to camp.
lie said after that there was hardly day
but what his companion referred to cases Of
hsdruphoba arising from wolf bites. The
result of this continued talk upon the sub
leci vas to produce a great depression IN
General Beale's mind. Within a short time
he began to feel symptoms Of an approach
ing attack q: hydrophobjn. lie had the
most extraordinary aversion 70 water Il
was with difficulty that he could swallow
\ swelling came IN his throat which threat
ened to close 1t whenever he sought 10
drink, Il vas only by an extraordinary ef-
fort Of the will thai he could force himself
to swallow. One day the general sa.I to
himself that unless he comhated Tins grow
lag feeling he felt certain he would have an
attack Of hydraphobia. 50 one morning he
walked deliberately to a spring and thrust
h,s head into The water. He said a. he ap-
preached his head to the water he felt the
most intense desire u lamp and scream, and
run away from il. But tn held himself
night there and moved his head up and
down in the water until he conquered this
impulse and the aversion. lie followed up
this practice un,il he felt the swelling IN the
throat going down and his aversion to wa
ter les-enng lie fell, that be Was getting
control. and this encouraged him. II
short time all symptoms Of The disease had
disappeared The general wa firmly con
yinced that if he had for one moment re-
iaxed his will power durIns that trying
time he would have passed directly into tit
Of the widest kind of hydrophobia. He
has never suffered from the bite OF the Wolf
SINCE tha, time, although il occurred over
twenty-five years ago
Il i Singular fact in thi> connection that
another member OF Ills family who had been
h;!teu BY dog which was undeniabiy mad
had aiso escaped hydrophobia His daugh-
ter Mary married q distinguished Russian.
member Of he diplomatic service Of his ma
tive country Several wears ago they we're
living hi Paris. The husband was connect
ed with the Russian legation. General
Beaie's daughter had at that time stag
hound Of unusual size an purity Of breed.
II vas very docile, and her tAvorite com
panlon. ila nearly always went Hut With
her One day the dog disappeared. A. hr
vas great pet, and dog of unusual value
they advertised for lin aud sought through
the police to recover hm. One. night when
the Russian diplomat and his vi!e we're
seated about an open fire IN their saloon
after returning from tie opera there was
knock at the door. This was 80 unusual at
this late hour Of the night that the Russian
went himself 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 vet kept them
at safe distance. General Beale'. -on-in-
law was delighted % ,re the dog again The
dog, mistress was specially pleased. The
dog, however, showed no sign Of pleasure
or recognition. He vent over into an OPP
posIte corner and would not pay any aiten-
tlon 10 their calls. They thought that he
might feel strange. and 90 paid no further
attention to him. Suddenly, without even
bark Of warning, this great dog sprang and
hI- his mistress right through the upper lip
and hen Oh her cheek before her husband
could reach the stout collar which still en-
crcled the dogs neck The Russian sue
ceeded IN half moment n dragging the
dog off, and then he had a terrific fight with
the lnfuriated animal. If he had not been
very muscular he would not have succeeded
in subdung him. He succeeded finally in
dragging him into bath room and locking
him up, but not until his right arm was
bitten and torn from shoulder TO wrist.
The moment the door was locked the
Russian returned. He glanced quickly at
the fireplace, where he saw the poker was
imbedded in the Goals and was fortunately
nearly at a white heat. He drew 1t at once
from its bed and said 10 his wife The dog
is mad. This is our only chance to escape
horrible death. These wounds must be eau
terzed at once" The brave American wife
never tiinched. With the courage of her SOL
dier father she submitted to have the flaming
iron burn most cruelty the flesh Of her fair
face moments delay upon her part or COW
ardlce would have made the operation upon
her husbands arm useless. The moment after
cauterizing her wounds the Russian turned
to his own arm and thoroughly burned every
break made in his flesh by the dog. After
this had been done as completely as it was
possible they sent for the surgeon of the
Russian legation. He was one of the finest
surgeons in Europe. He came and ex-
amined them. He brought his irons to per-
form the operation of cauterzing, but he
said after he came that he had nothing to do.
The young Russian diplomat had performed
the work as well as if he had been a skilful
surgeon. The surgeon also added that there
was no danger.
The dog was undoubtedly mad. Ii tore
everything to pieces in the room where it
was confined, and died in horrible agony.
General Beale says that neithor his daughter
nor her husband have ever felt the slightest
symptoms Of trouble resulting from this ac
cdent. He says that his daughter deter
mined from the first that she would not al
low her mind to dwell upon it, She re-
membered how her father had courageously
fought off hydrophobia, and she was fully
resolved that no mental disturbance or worry
upon her part should throw open the gate
to the approach of this terrible disease.
General Beale did not mean to say that
there was no such thing as real hydrophobia
upon the part of human beings, but he
sincerely believes that in the ma jority of
cases it results largely from fright and
mental depression