The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-24
DIED OF HYDROPHOBIA.
Detroit Man Had Genuine Case
Resulting from Cat Bite.
Detroit Free Press.


nue., conductor who had been IN the en-
ploy of the Detroit railway, died horrible
death in the strong room" at Harper
Hospital about o'clock yesterday after
noon. from hydrophobia. Though 1t was
known that he was slowly dying. tho doc
tors had to have him securely strappea 10
man from doing harm 10 his attendants.
Just before he died Hermann's tempera-
ture w9s les l oSsr whereas r an 9SuT walker
who was one OF the attending physicians,
says that to the best of his knowledge,
this was only the second case or genuine
hydrophobia which has occurred In Detroit
in thirty years
Hermann was twenty-eight years old and
was born in Germany Last August he ne
home He was perfectly well until the nrst
part OF January. About six weeks ago his
wife noticed that he came home very tired
from his work and was much jaundiced in
appearance. He was taken Ill last Satur-
day evening, saying that his right arm
panied him greatly when he moved 1t and
that he had rheumatism. He went to the
drug store and got medicine Tor rheuma-
| tism, but this did not help him. DR.. j: F.
Bennett was called in the next morning,
and Hermann complained of itching on his
wrist and arm and pain along the collar
| bone. These symptoms grew worse, ana
| Sunday night he had no appetite ana could
| not sleep. The early symptoms were rest
| lessness. shortness Of breath and pain IN
| the shoulder Toward Monday morning ne
| wanted water, and when shown II set ms
| teeth, snapped and went into a spasm. he
| tried to wash but could not bring himself
| to dip his hands into the water The pam
| in his shoulder and arm was better. how
| ever, but he had illusions. He complained
| that he had two right arms and kept feel
| ing with the real arm for the imaginary
| one. He also thought that he had several
heads. The poor fellow could not drink
| from a glass and complained that some
one was choking him and that he seemed
| to be under water and trying to get out ,
| Monday morning he became rapidly
worse, and Tuesday spasms developed from
| five to ten seconds in duration. If tea or
coffee were offered him he went into these
| spasms and showed other signs OF the ter
| rible disease. Delirium began Tuesday art
| erroon and he was given cnlorai, morphine
| and sulphonal at various times in great
| quantities. but the drugs apparently had
| little effect. He asked for pineapple, eggi
peaches and tea and on W TUESDAY y c tSSls
sasms the pupils of his eyes would not
| respond to light.
In his normal condition he suffered
| slightly and this affiiction became much
! more marked. draft of air striking on
the back of the neck produced immediate
| commissions. The only two diseases where
any of these symptoms are. possible arc
| lockjaw and hydrophobia and DR.. Bennett
| diagnosed Hermanns case as the latter
| He complained more and more of foreign
| body in his throat and Of much pain in
| his chest, and Tuesday afternoon his mlnd
| began to wander. The paroxysms and tas
| regularity, but as time went on the par.
| oxysms became of greater duration.
Wednesday afternoon he was brought to
| Harper Hospital by DR.. r.. Il. Smith. he
| was first placed in a private room and Dr.
| E. r. Shurly, the house physician, remained
with him almost constantly. He showed
| signs of extreme nervousness and 10 Cd
| waite his unfavorable symptoms the doctor
! administered hypnotcs from time TO time
The patient fancied he was s SUI tbr run alle
out that this was a queer car with nc
bell or register and with all these fellows
| around to bother Then ne would siart
/ a
DR.. Shurly left him for short time and
| returned at / o'clock. He found him very
irritable and suspicious. The doctor Offered
him cigarette and he smoked it. Then he
| dressed and undressed half dozen times
He said that 1t was time for the car to q
out and Ii was argued with him that IL was
not time. He also thought that he would
like TO go to a hospital and the attendan
reminded him that he was in one where h,
He reiterated that it was time for the ca
TO go out. and the doctor seeing that there
was going to be serious trouble sent fol
eight house doctors and male nurses.
The patient walked to the door and went
out into the corridor. ITS time for the ca
to go out, and I'm going to take 1t out" NJ
said. why. ii isn't time yet argued the
doctor Just lock at your watch and ypl
will see." But the patient became unman
ageable and aimed a blow at the docto
which the latter avoided and signaled TO tn
men, who sprang upon the back Of the un
applied chloroform until he was unconscious
or nearly so, and put on the "mitts' an'
| anklets.
1t was a severe struggle, one OF the hard
est that has ever occurred in the hospita
| for Hermann is a man of large build an
has muscles of great strength and power o
endurance, and he fought with all hi
might. But he was finally overpowered an
the chloroform speedily quieted him. The
he was removed to the strong room an
strapped securely to the heavy iron bed.
The doctors who called to him a
said there was not the slightest doubt &c
| garding his afflction, and also conclude
that science was powerless when confronte
with a case in such condition. Nothing
they agreed, could be done for him excep
to relieve his last moments as far as pos
sible. Hypnotics were constantly admins
tered and had but little effect. Drs. Shur
ly. Smith, Bennett and Walker were wit
him nearly all day yesterday. Some of IN
saliva has been procured and has been in
oculated into two dogs by DIR. Walker
These animals will be taken care OF unit
they die. when the spinal cord will be RI
| moved. properly treated and kept for n
| oculating future cases of this character.