Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-17
DOCTORS PUZZLED
oysR TEE STRANGE DEATH OF YOUNG
NAN.
While 4, was Extracting a Wonan's Tooth She
Bit Him-Lockjaw Set in, but That was
Cnrsd-fhsn Es was Attacked By Curl
ous Fever and Finally Died
in Commissions.

NEW York, July l6.-The death Of
Francis NJ. Baab, Of No. l64 East
Eirhty-third street, puzzles the doctors.
Baab was the son of Dentist George
]. Baab and was studying deRtistry at
the College in Twenty-third street. On
sunday, April 25, he attended a woman
who had called at his fathers office.
She wanted an liberated tooth extract
ed. In examining the tooth Baab put
ms finger in the wOman'S mouth. Her
laws closed with q cOnvulsive movement
causing slight wound on Baab's finger,
Baab cleansed the wound and thought
nothing of il until few days after
wards when lOckjaw set in. For TWEEN
ty-one days he was treated for this
disease and then pronounced cured.
Some time after this he went fishing,
and six days later was taken sick with
a disease which the doctors thought
was malarial fever. A week later he
died i'm convulSionS. The death certih-
cate gives typhoid fever as the cause OF
death.
Baab died on Saturday, July IL. On
Monday morning he was buried from
st. JOSeph's Roman Catholic Church In
Eighty-seventh street, near First
avenue.
A World reporter called yesterday on
VIM. III. Won MuSitS, of No. 1866 Lex
ipgton avenue, who IS the family ply
stefan OF the Baabs, and attended the
Young man throughout the sickness
which ended In his death. The doctor
said:
ION April 25, during the absence Of
his father, Frank Baab, who was ready
10 graduate as dentist, undertook the
treatment OF patient young woman.
AS he afterwards related the story to
me she had an liberated wisdom TOOTH
It was necessary TO put his left forefin-
ger In her mouth, which be did. He
must have touched an exposed nerve,
for she suddenly screamed and closed
her Jaws Frank washed the very
slight wound caused Immediately. He
told me afterwards that he washed it
with carbolic acid be extracted the
troublesome tooth and the patient went
away.
THE puncture made by the decayed
tooth was very minute. IL did not be-
come indamed, hut healed right up like
perfectly healthy wound. But on the
fifth day after the bite Baab began TO
experience spasmOdic cOntractions Of
the muscles of the jaws. He came to
me. l examined the bitten finger and
found it perfectly healed. Next day
was called to attend him at his house.
He could not go out. All the symptoms
of tetanuS were present. The muscles
of the neck were rigid, the jaws locked
and the young man could not take
nOurishment. l need not relate the
various details of my treatment. 1t
was entirely successful. On the ninth
day after the bite young Baab was per-
fectly well. but told him to report at
nv Office for twelve days more, which
be did. At the end Of that time all
danger from the woman's bite was over
come.
''On June 2G BaGb went fishing with
several other young men. He was out
all day t7.tNf-rs', o. the kahEte III
my u1iice. From the examination then
made I judged that be had received
sunStrOke. 1 thought then that the con-
ditiOn in which he came to me was the
result OF his fishing expedition.
treated him for SunStroke and sent him
home. Next morning / called aad found
him not much better. diagnosed the
case rs probably cerebral fever. Next
morning Baab began to show symptoms
of malarial fever, and on the sixth day
typhoid symptoms were quite pro-
nounCed. On the morning Of the tenth
day the young man died in commissions
and coma. 1 am absolutely sure that
the bite Of the young woman had moth
Ing 20 do with his death"
Or. Won MuSitS is one Of the State
Commissioners of Lunacy, a member Of
u state Medical Society and a valued
contributor 10 medical journals in
America and Europe.
Or. T. +. Allen, the Dean of the
Homeopathic college, was called in as
consulting physician by Dr. MusitS DR..
Allen IS Entrusted specially in the treat
ments of hydrophobia. He was seen at
his residence, No. 10 East Thirty-sixth
street.
81 was called into consultation upon
young Baab'S case last Wednesday"
said DR.. Allen. Il was surprised to
learn Of his death after observing his
favorable condition. The commissions
which Immediately proceed death form
feature Ia connection with his illness
that is extremely rare.
II found the patient with q fever
Characteristic of typhoid form of ma
larial fever. told thefamily that I an
proved of Or. Won MuSit'S treatment
and that I thought the young man
would be out in two or three weeks.
In view Of the subsequent turn of
the disease, this condition is valuable in
determining what inSidiOuS element
lurking in the system could have caused
eonvulSionS and meningitis. In typhoid
fever the typhoid poison is apt TO affect
the brain, but / have never seen a case
where typhoid fever, unaccompanied by
other conditions, resulted in meningitis
with cOnvulSiOns.
''Did you discover anything in your
knowledge of the case to which YOU
could attribute the commissions except
the bte?" was asked.
Il had not the slightest intimation
that such results would come con-
tinued tho Doctor, Il did not see the
patient after wednesday, but Dr. Won
MuSitS has told me OF the progress of
the disease. l cOncurred In his treat
ment. The fact that symptoms were
entirely favorable and the change so
sudden but a few hours before death
makes the case an interesting one for
subsequent investigation. Every phase
Of the disease that saw personally was
typical OF typhoid malarial fever"
''What are the probabilities OF the
death having resulted remotely from
the bite?'
1T is a question which win be inves-
~