The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-01
AMELIA BRANCH IS DEAD,
But Doctors Differ as to the Cause
of Death.

Amelia Branch, colored child five
years old, died at the city hospital yes
terday morning of what the physicians
say was a we'll developed case of ma
niaca1 hydrophobia~ All the physicians,
who have had to do with the case,
however, are not Of the same opinion,
and until after an examination and
experiments have been made the ques-
ton as to whether death resulted from
hydrophobia will not be professionally
settled.
The little girl was bitten by savage
dog about noon August 20 while she
was sitting on the porch of the house
occupied by her parents at 155 East
Twelfth street. The dog, which had
living in the neighborhood, was shot
by Patrolman Miller shortly afterward.
The maddened brute bit the child in
- the face, the mouth and nose being
terribly lacerated and a number of her
teeth being loosened by the jaws of the
animal She was taken to the city
hospital the same day and attended
by DIR. Ohage, who dressed the wounds.
sewed up the child's lip, pulled one of
her teeth, and replaced the jaw, which
had been injured by the dogs teeth.
Little Amelia recovered rapidly, and
nine days after her admission to the
hospital was discharged. About week
ago the child was brought to the hos,
pital by her mother, but at the time
seemed to be in perfect health Last
Saturday the child appeared to be not
feeling well and refused to eat. Ac-
cording to statements made by her
mother, Mrs. Lottie Branch the child
would not eat or drink anything but
milk, and complained of her throat be-
ing sore. DR.. Meade and DR.. McCord
were called in Monday and Tuesday
-11r~ Tod 41,,4 -I,sI - 49,
to the hospital. Tuesday evening
Amelia, seemingly much worse, was
taken to the city hospital by her
mother and placed in one of the wards
Shortly after she became very violent
and was removed to one of the private
rooms and DR.. Fl. J. O'Brien called.
DR.. O'Brien- seen yesterday afternoon
said there was no question in his mind
but that the child's death resulted
from maniacal hydrophobia. She had
every symptom of the disease except
the paralysis of the muscles. She had
commissions every fifteen minutes, STAR
ing eyes and was delrious with few
moments of consciousness. She snapped
and tried to bite the nurse and became
so violent that she was tied to the
crib with a sheet. She tossed her head
from side to side and frequently tried
to bite the pillow. She could not swal-
low water, and, when 1t was offered
her. shrieked and went into spasms.
Her last hours were something fright
full to witness, and DR. O'Brien said
he was glad that the little sufferer was
unconscious most of the time. An
autopsy was held yesterday by DR..
RothrOck, which was witnessed by
Drs. O'Brien. Sweeney and the hospital
corps. The post mortem convinced DR..
Sweeney and further satisfied DR..
O'Rrien that death resulted from
hydrophobia. Dr. Sweeney said yes
terday after the postmortem that, al
though he had not seen the child. from
the symptoms and the autopsy he was
convinced that the diagnosis of the
case had been correctly formed by DR..
O'Brien. There had been, he said. five
deaths from rabies in St Paul within
few months. If five persons had died
with smallpox in the same time he
said. the people would be up in arms.
but because 1t was hydrophobia it was
considered useless to use any precau-
tio2s. DR.. O'Brien was as outspoken
about the matter as was DIR. Sweeney
and said that there should be some
provision made by the authorities to
Kill worthless ours and also to not al
low dogs on the streets without being
muzzled.
DR.. Rothrock who made the autopsy,
was inclined to the opinion that the
rhi1d's death was not due to rabies. as
there were several symptoms usually
found in hydrophobia which were miss
ing. The other physicians he thought.
based their opinion on clinical mani