New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-23
WHAT KILLED DIR. STEVENSl
HE WAS AFRAID OF HYDROPHOBIA.
AFTER PERFORMING AN AUTOPSY HE TRIED
THE PAsTEUR Observation-Disclosures
GHADTr,rUy OVrpc.ur rrrn

TIE PAsTEUR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
GRADUALLY OvERCAME HIN.
DR.. Henry William Stevens died yesterday morn
ing at his home, No. l52 Hicks St, Brooklyn, from
a disease that the doctors called periphpral nell
ritis, or poliomyolits. Considerable interest at
taches to DR.. Stcvens's death from the fact that
he was recently cXposcd to hydrophobia having
had an open sore on one of his fingers while
sisting in an autopsy upon the body of man who
died from that disease; and also from the fact
that fearing an attack of the disease, he placed
himself under the care of DR.. Paul Gibior, of the
Pasteur Institute in West Tcnthst., receiving from
him a series of daily noculatons for rabies.
Whether not the exposure to hydrophobc in
fiction the inoculations performed by DR..
Gbcr had any effect in causing DR.. Stevcnss
death is an open question in the minds OF some
peoplc but the doctors all assert that the disease
was one that might attack any person. and that 1t
had no direct connection with the exposure to
hydrophobia or the inoculations by DIR. Gibier.
The body upon which Dr. Stevens assisted in
holding an autopsy was that of George Kendall
a farmland employed by Henry X. Schuyler, OF
Arlington, " J. Kendall died from hydrophobla
from dogs bite at the Chambers Street Hos
pital on January %, after being confined in the
hospital for several days. The autopsy was for
Scentlnc purposes, anu was Nei'i llldb Sdulc my
by DR.. Stevens and DR.. Ira Van Gieson, of the
College of Physicians and Surgeons. The index
finger of Dr. Stcvenss left hand had upon it at
the time small sore, known as an anatomical
tubcrcle trouble with which those en-
gagged in dissecting sometimes become affected
when the skin of the hands is broken. DR..
Stevens had Injured his hand about three weeks
before while dissecting body, and this sore, to-
gcther with a slight inflammation, had resulted.
At the time of the autopsy upon KendalS body
Dr.. Stevens noticed that the sore upon his finger
was not perfectly healed, and the thought oc-
Cured to him that perhaps he was in danger
from having come into contact with the HYDRO
phobia victims body. On January 20 he called
upon Dr. Gibier. at the Pastcur Institute, and
asked the latter TO inoculate him for ra7's.
DR.. Gbicr complied, and the inoculatlons d'n-
tinucd to he made each day until February ..
At that time DR.. Scvens'S sickness began. 1he
first symptoms were nervous pains and feeling
of paralysis in the lower limbs. These symptoms
rapidly grew worse, and he was sooa confined to
his house DR.. Jonathan Wright, Of No -
RemScn-st Brooklyn. was first called TO the case,
and later DR.. Carl y. Dowd, of No. li7 West
Scvcnty-third-st, Ncw-York, took charge Of the
case as attending physician. DR.. Dowd Is
Specialist in lervous disorders. The patients
Of No. II West Thirty secondst., was called in.
The patient rapidly grew worse The paralysis
extended to the spine and to the muscles of the
lungs 1t was thought Saturday night that
Dr. stevens was dying, but he was kept alive
throughout the night by Of artificial respira-
ton lie died at i 80 O'Clock yesterday morning.
Dr. DelaGeM said that the disease an in-
nammat0n of the nerves, a trouble that was
common enough. and with which anybody was
likely 10 he stricken. The disease might have
been induced BY some other disease, but there
was no reason TO suppose that II was a result
Of Dr. Giblcr's inoculaions or the exposure -
hydrophoba. The other physicians that attended
Dr. Stevens were all of the same 0plElon rs
Dr. Dciatcld. and il is not intended 10 make
any further investigations as 70 the cause OF the
Ceath of DR.. Stevens
Dr. Gibicr did not know that DR.. stevens was
i'll until some time after February .. the day on
which the series 0t inoculations ceased. li'
wondered why his patient did not continue, ms
visits and inGuilc for him AZ the Now York Hos
pital. where DR.. Stevens was engaged ~ assistant
pathoocist. but was only informed that ne was
not on duty DIR. Gibier said that ne faS'cu,
injections had never before been suspected ~
any i'll effect. and hc did not believe that Dr.
StcvenS's dc1th was due To the inleci!ons. When
the doctor cirac to i'm. he tod h'm mat nc
did not think the danger of hNdrDphohi3 was
great. but at the doctors request he pace" nun
under treatment. and continued to evc
him t~o Injections OF tW2 caT!G TGc fSy.. ;@ioc.
tions were administered at the waist. and no
inflammation Appeared ahoat the point where the
puncturc was made. The doctor looked pale ana
worn from the time lie first came under treat
mcnt and later be complained 10 DR. co9 %l9Hr on q
occasional rhills Dr. Gihief could not unGcr-
stand how the lymph could he INJURIOUS mn[si s:J
it were Improperly prepared. and - lie pfepa"d
that used uycn pr Stevens himself. h" tecas
certain that the injection, were 10; the cal""'
of the lattcrs death. =, ,
DR.. Stevens was born at Saratoga. y y. and
WAS thirty-thrcc years old. lie was graduated
from Williams College. Mass. with the Ga$S ~
1879 and thcn entered upon the studF oI 'nedic'he
~ thc COLLEGE of Physicians and surgeons m
Ncw-lork lie was graduated IN sS;; ara az, uor nc-
cam. one of tEe house st1N %; the N'W-l Hfk lbs
pifal where he remained for t%o years. 10 AFTER
ward went to cheyenne. Wyoming, whore ne prac,,
tiscd medicine until la>t year. Wien he ie'Hthea
to Nrw-York and became assistant p"'hoogEt
at the New-Norl Hospital. -,
The time for the funeral las not yet necn
decided upon hut it will probably take pace
on Tuesday afternoon. Al the home of his Dr9'hrr-
in-aw. " \. Hughes. No. -? lilciIs.St. Brook
Ign. The body will he taken 10 Saratoga