Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-07-05
WORRIED. TO DEATH.
Imagines He Has the Hydrophobia, and
Dies from Mental Realization.
From the Buffalo Commercial.


fears.
A victim of acute mental mania,
caused by fear of hydrophobia, or per-
chance the dread tetanus or lock-jaw.
These are the outlines OF case which
will attract widespread attention in the
medical world when the facts are made
known.
Similar cases are rare in the history
of medical jurisprudence, while at the
same time it includes facts that may
seem to go to sustain either widely
divergent theories of medical men as to
the liability of the human system to con-
tract hydrophobia.
That is, as to whether the condition is
physical fact or merely the fatal
figment Of an overweight Imagination.
The victim of the strange facts that led
to the demise under peculiarly and sad
circumstances was Harry E. White, who
for the past seven years has been
telephone operator, stationed at Central
Police Station. He was deservedly
popular, and one of the most efficient
employees in the service. He had the
muscular physique Of an athlete, and
was inordinately fond of all sorts Of
manly out-of-door exercises, passion
that he INDUCED at every opportunity.
During the evening of April | last he
WAS approaching LIS LoLlc, NJ LOO
Findlay Street, when he stopped to
fondle mongrel cur. No sooner had
his hand touched the animal than
it suddenly turned and fastened its
teeth in the palm of his right hand.
The furious canine retained such hold
that the young man actually lifted the
the dog from the sidewalk with it's teeth
still imbedded in his flesh. and finally he
was obliged to souse the dog in a
neighboring watering trough before it
would relinquish it's grip. In the melee
his left hand was also bitten, but not SO
severely.
Medical assistance was called, and al
though the young man was assured that
no evil effect would result he became
possessed of the idea that hydrophobia
would follow, and naturally he became
very much depressed and worried;
| fact he carefully concealed from every
body outside his family.
Unknown to his folks, who shared his
fright, Harry procured all the treatlses
on hydrophobia, rabies and tetanus he
could procure, and he passed hours
when not at work in reading the various
opinions on these subjects, including the
narration of all the incidents that tend
ed to prove or disprove the opinions IN
! the premises. The result of his reading
| ~,
had passed since the bite was inflicted,
he became convinced that he would die
from it's effects. When the high
temperature of the early part of last
| week came young Whites actions plain
| ly showed the nervousness he suffered.
He complained of inability to sleep and
a severe pain in his side,- on Monday
| of last week. DR.. B. B. Goode, of
| Baymiller street, continued to treat
| him.
Mr.. White ceased work last Thursday
night with the remark that, 81 guess I'll
give up" His long hours Of steady
work and the nervous strain were be-
ginning to tell on him. During Saturday,
Sunday and Monday he alternated be-
tween hope and fear. One hour he was
convinced that he was the victim of his
| fears, and the next that they would be
realized.
He slept but little at night, and on
Monday complained of inability to
swallow liquids. However, when he
made an effort he succeeded in
drinking water freely without any indi-
cation of contraction of the muscles of
the throat. In the evening he began
to exercise his arms IN violent gyra-
| tons.
Prof. w. H. Taylor, of Seventh Street,
and DR.. Stephens, of Findlay Street,
were called into consultation, and they
agreed with DR.. Goode that there was
no indication of hydrophobia, and the
patient, with hope renewed, sat in front
of the house with the family in the
evening and smoked cigar 4ester-
day morning, however, he arose early
and descended to the yard without assls-
lance. The exertion seems to have
been too much for him, for upon his re-
turn to his room he was abnOrmally ex-
cited, and begged to be tied to the bed,
for he felt sure the end was approach
ing. His whim was humored, but soon
afterward the cords were removed, and
the patient asked for and drank a cup OF
coffee and ate some bread.
About O'Clock he began to sink and
soon afterward he died, surrounded by
the members of his family, who have
been under tremendous strain all the
time.
A remarkable fact is that during his
confinement Mr. Whites temperature
was rarely above the normal degree, his
pulse was seldom accelerated, he had
no spasms or commissions, and did not
froth as victims of hydrophobia are
wont to do, but he eXpectorated freely.
The doctors deny the rumors to the eff
feet that young White was insane. They
are united in the opinion that he wor-
ried himself to death, and that he suf-
fered acute mania, superinduced by his
fears and overheated imagination.
Persian Dancers.
As for the Persian dancers there If
J;+tIo +o no cold q hoI1t + hem I hat oar lead