The morning news., 1889-04-13
FRoTHED LIKE A MAD DOG.
The Awful Suffering and Strange Cure
OF David BarkeY.
Vooster tO.l Spectal 70 De Nele York IEorLd.

OF OaVlQ Bark9y.
Wooster CO.. Special to the Nelo York World.
David Barkey, 11-years-old, a son of a
well-to-do farmer living northeast of this
place, has just recovered from hydrophobia,
and aconite, hydrate of choral and salicy-
late of soda were the means of saving his
life. Feb. 10 the boy complained of feeling
unwell. His entire muscular system ap-
peared to be effected with soreness that
could not be accounted for. A physician
was called in and diagnosed the ailment as
muscular rheumatism, for which the pa
tient was treated. The treatment which il
generally used in such cases was apparently
effective. About ten days later the boys
condition took another turn and other ply
siclans were called in for consultation. The
patient would pant like dog, stick out his
tongue, froth at the mouth and simu ate
the growl and bark of cross canine. The
paroxySms would continue for about twenty
minutes or half an hour, and then he would
sink into a mi-paralytic state, from which
he would rouse up soon afterward feeling
apparently we'll On the day the consulta-
tion was held by the physicians the patient
experienced five proxysms.
When water was sprinkled in the boys
face he would experience a paroXysm and
| bark and growl, d snap at and attempt
to bite persons around him. The disease
was then pronounced hydrophobia, and
| the Infection was said TO have come from
the family dog, which had been shot several
years ago on account of manifesting signs
| of madness. About eight years ago young
Barkey, then 2]9years- -of-age, was bitten
through the upper lip by this dog. Last
fall the boy was bitten by neighbours dog,
which, after the boys malady became
| known, was killed, examined and pro-
nounced healthy. The physicians traced the
rabies to the first dog, but did not claim it
was caused by the bite through the lip. The
| dog had what is known as the dumb or
paralytic rabies, and the suppositIon is that
after or between his paralytic attacks he
| licked sore on the boys hand or body and
| thus transmitted the poison. AS soon as
| the di ease was known young Barkey was
bound to his bed and mittens of heavy
cloth were placed over his hands, and his
| arms bound in flannel to prevent him from
biting himself The psroxysms were
generally experienced about noon.
The boy appeared to be possessed of super
human strength. 1t required two men to
hold his arms back. His attendandts were
| provided with thick gloves, and during one
| of his paroxysms the patient managed to
| get his fathers gloved hand in his mouth
and bite through the glove to the skin, but
| did not bring blood. Another attendants
| gloved hand was bitten until the ends of his
fingers became black aud blue. In order
to appease the boys anxiety to bite, pillows
| and thick pieces of cloth were thrust into
his mouth. He would close his teeth firmly
on them and his CLASSY eyes would dilate in
a horrible manner.
| The attending physician looked upon hy-
| drop obia as an effection of the nerves. He
also thought that poison was self-limiting;
| SO he decided to eIdeavor to keep the boy
alive until the action of tho poison was
spent. Large doses of fluid extract of aeon
| ite were prescribed with a view to bunting
or partially paralyzing the sensuary nerves.
In order to produce sleep, large doses of
| hydrate Of choral were administered.
| Thinking the poison depended on fernlent
| for its action the physician gave the patient
salicylate of soda in large doses. This treat
ment was resorted 10 to bridge the case over
until the poison had spent itself. Satisfac-
| tory results were soon manifest. The par
oxysms became less freq tent and less severe,
| and after one week the boy was no longer
| afflicted with them. He has not experienced
/ any convulsions for several weeks and his
| physicians hes pronounced him out Of dan
| ger.
When seen to-day he was sitting up in
bed and looking quite well. His voice is a
| little husky and his limbs, from his knees
down, are partially paralyzed, which is
| said to be result of the effect of the strong
medicines administered to him. This par
| alvsis is expected to wear off, aud it is quite
certain the boy will be around again be-
| fore long. One peculariarty of his present
| condition is his sensitlveness to touch. He
is in fear of being handled, although he
| touches himself without any signs Of dis
comfiture. His mind does not appear
| to have been impaired hV his illness