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, a colored child five
years old. died at the city hospital yes
terday morning of what the physicians
say was a well developed case of ma
niacaI 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 uues-
ton as to whether death resulted from
hydrophobia will not be professionally
settled.
The little girl was bitten by a 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
previously bitten a couple Of children
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 DR.. 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 a 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,
they suggested that the child be taken
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.. H. J. O'Brien called
DR.. O'Brien seen yesterday afternoon
said there was no question in his mind
but that the childs 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 delirious 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 it 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 nv
Drs. O'Brien. Sweeney and the hospital
corps The post norton convinced DR..
Sweeney and further satisfied DR.
C'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 I'D in arms
but because 1t was hydrophobia ii was
considered useless to use any precau-
tions. 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 r.
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
,rhild'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