St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1894-04-21
FATAL CHAMBERS.
The Horrible Death Of San Fran
cisco Women.
A Horae sneezing in Her Face Causes the
Trlghtfut Disease--A Life Bartercd
for Ten Doliars--An Unscru-
puIous Horse Dealer.

puIOu9 AOrSC DCAlcEs
Mrs. Sophia Bersford, Of San
Francisco, met with a frightful
death from glanders as the result OF
the greed Of horse dealers, says the
Chronicle. Her life was taken that
ten dollars might be gained by the
owner Of a horse afflicted with the
inchrable disease.
Mrs. Bersford was the wife of o
teamster, and she died just when
the blow would fall heaviest on the
family, as she had given birth to
child but few weeks before.
The story is horrible one. In
January Bersford bought a fne-look-
ing horse from James D. For
rester. The horse would ordinar-
lily have been worth about sew
enty-fve dollars, but Bersford
thought he was getting fine bar
gain when he secured the horse for
ten dollars.
A few days later Mrs. Bersford,
who was just recovering from her
confinement, drove the horse out to
| the park. While she was standing
near the horses head the animal
sneezed. Some OF the spume from
his nostrils was blown in Mrs. Bers-
ford's face. She brushed it off and
thought no more of it. A day or
two later Bersford noticed running
from the horses nose. NGt suspect
ing glanders he went to Forester,
who is almost as well versed in the
disease of animals as O veterinary
surgeon, and asked him what the
matter was.
Forester replied that the horse
had caught q slight cold from sleep
ing, in his corral, aud that il Bers-
ford would put little grease in his
nose he could easily cure the animal.
Had Bersford done SO he might have
been killed as well as his wife. Bers.
ford was not satisfied and took the
horse to DR.. Creely, the veterinary
surgeon to the board Of health. A
glance was sufficient to show hin
that the horse was suffering from al
acute attack of the glanders OF
most malignant type. As Bersfore
was very poor he was allowed t.
take the horse to Forester so as Il
get his money refunded before th,
horse should be killed according t.
law. Forester told Bersford thu
as he had the horse ten days h
3 ought to have got ten dollars Wortl
7 out of him and that he would not re
3 turn cent of the money. He ais
informed him that if the horse ha'
the glanders Bersford could kill hin
himself DR.. Creely then destroye,
the animal.
The horse was killed three or fou
5 days after Mrs. Bersford had bee
out riding, and about the same da,
E she began to get Ills The first da..
7 she had severe headache. Chill
/, and pains followed, together with
4 swelling of the forehead, similar t
4 eryseplas. Physicians were sum
. moned and the woman was treate
3 for a fever. About ten days passed
The woman continued to grow Wors
] steadily and was removed to tn
: French hospital. DR.. TAFT, the chic
: surgeon, was summoned, and im
! mediately recognized that the won
! an was slowly dying from glanders
g When she was brought to the hos
t pital she was in comatose condl
n ton, with her temperature at 10e
There was o sloughing on the fore
head and on part of the scalp, ON
eruptions had broken out all owe
y her body. Nota thing could be don
u ! for the poor woman. Every car
< was given her, but she soon becam
b delirious. She then sank into o con
!, atose condition, and fingered alon
It five days, until finally she died. B
: this time the sloughing, where tf
e spume had reached the mucous men
It brane of the nose and where it ha
J, spread to, presented a dreadf'
: sight.