The evening times., 1898-09-26
CURIOUS HYDRopHoBIA CASE.
Singular Hysterin of Girl Produced
by Fright.

by Fright.
| New York, Sept. 26.-In st. Marys Hos
| pital. Brooklyn. is a girl, Nellie Donlon,
| fourteen years old, whose peculiar case is
exciting the deep interest of the physi-
clans of that institution. Although she
has never been bitten by a dog, she ex-
hibits ali the symptoms of one who Is
suffering from hydrophobia. She barks
exactly like dog, froths at the mouth,
and has distressing paroxysms.
Nellie is the daughter of Michael and
Margaret DQnlon, and lived with them at
No 2i5 Marion Street. She has been en-
ployed fer two molths in a bakery at
Marion Street and Howard Avenue and
has never had any serious illness up to
the present time. But she has been Of a
highly nervous temperament, and easily
frightened. Her brother Thomas, nine
years old, has done much to excite her
nerves by his trick of creeping up behind
her when unobserved and initiating the
barking of dog So often has he done
this that the girl made great efforts to
avoid him.
1t was only few days ago that the boy
frightened his sister in this way again,
and she spoke of IT to her employer,
Jacob Morganthal, who had remarked her
state of excitement. She also told him
that her nerves became unstrung when
| her parents Quarrelled
Nellie returned to her home at 1890
o'clock on Saturday night and found her
parents intoxicated and Quarrelling. They
eventually came to blows, and Donlon
struck his wife. who fell against door In
the kitchen. Nellie jumped In between
her parents and told her father TO desist
Her face was deathly white and she was
greatly excited.
While standing between her parents
Nellie suddenly gave a scream and fell
to the floor in commissions, during which
she began to froth at the mouth and emit
a noise which much resembled that or a
barking dog. Her brother, Thomas, and
her younger sisters, alarmed at her ac-
tions, notified some neighbors who made
exertions to quiet the girl All they
could do, however, was to hold her down,
as she had become very violent.
DIR. Gaynor was summoned from st.
Mary's Hospital and when he heard Mel
lies peculiar cries and saw the froth
from her mouth he took ii for a case of
hydrophobia. 1t was found necessary TO
tie her hands and feet before she could
be placed in the ambulance. All the
while Nellie kept up loud barking and
swapping at her own hands, which she
bit in several places. On the way TO the
hospital she twice succeeded in breaking
the cords which bound her.
Several powerful doses of morphine
were given the girl in the hope she would
come out of the paroxysms, but these
seemed TO have no effect. Up to o'clock
yesterday morning she continued to bark
and struggle Then chloroform was. CIV
en- to the girl, under the influence OF
which she finally fell into deep sleep,
from which she did not awaken until
o'clock She was then conscious but she
could not remember the occurrences of
the previous night. which, she said, were
all blank to her. She did not even rec
ognize her mother.
This a phenomenal case" said DR..
Gaynor II have inquired about
the girls previous condition and the cir
cumstances attending this attack, and
my diagnosis convinces me it is case
of hysteria hydrophobia, produced by ex-
cessive fright. AT first ! believed the girl
had been bitten at some time by a dog,
but ii appears she has not been.
The doctor could not say whether the
girl would recover from her peculiar NAL
ady.