The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-07-15
Is There HydrOphObia.

The question whether or not there is
more plugged into the limbo of doubt by
case which recently occurred in
Pennsylvania town. A young man was
severely bitten in the hand by a savage
dog. From the start the patient declared
himself a victim of hydrophobia, not
with standing the fact that the wounds
were carefully cauterized and healed up
by first intention" He could not, or
would not dismiss the circumstance from
his mind; and though the bites had
perfectly closed, and the cicatrices had
almost disappeared from the flesh, he
he still insisted that he had the dread
disease. A number of weeks had passed
during which it would seem he never
ceased broodiug over the matter until
finally he began to froth at the mouth,
refuse water aud to bark and howl like
dog. He died in great agony. But
the curious part of the story is that the
dog which bit him is still alive, perfectly
healthy. has never shown a hint of
hydrophobia. and is in all respects, as
innocent of disease Of any sort as dog
can be.
In TIE writer's own knowledge, young
girl was similarly bitten and was upon
| the very verge of dissolution, when the
| dog which had wounded her was brought
| to her bedside and shown to her in his
normal condition. Despite the fact that
| for two days shehad frothed at the mouth
barked and growled, and adhorred the
sight OF water she mended at once; the
dire symptoms disappeared, and she
recovered almost Immediately. Thus
the question still remains, is there any
such thing as true hydrophobia or is
it mental impression?
Everyone recalls the story of the tw Q
brothers OF Bordeaux, one of VIII ON was
on his way to America while the other
was to return to the farm after seeing
his brother on board the ship. Both
were bitten by a savage dog on the
wharf The brother who remained died
few weeks latter of hydrophobia
| The other brother came to America
aud there being no communication
between the family in France and the
exile in America, the latter never learned
of his brothers death. until having made
a small fortune in the United States, ht
he returned to visit his people, ten years
later. Than he was informed Of the
cause of his brothers demise. He glanced
at the scars upon his own hand an(
laughed but two weeks later he was teG
do WI to his bed bowling and frothing
with the fearful disease which hat
| destroyed his brother a decade before.
Still another case in the writer's know
ledge is that of two sisters who wer,
bitten at the same time by a favorit,
setter, given to fits of temper. One o
the sisters laughed at the idea of hydro
phobia, while the other feared the dis
ease. The later whose wound was Sigh
died in great agony in fifty six hours
while the other escaped the smalles
symptom, though she WAS badly bitter
on the arm the flesh had been torn from
the knee of one leg, nearly to the ankl
and large lacerated wound had beef
made on the other thigh. The dol
showed no signs of madness and W,
believe is still alive. All know the effec
of the mind upon the body; and it seem
that while hydrophobia may be distinc
disease or perpaps a form of bloc,
poisoning, it is certain that there ar
many persons whom it does not affect a
all