Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-08-05
TOLD HIS DYING SENSATIONS.

A Brave Sea Captain Dies of Hydrophobia
In New York Hospital.
New York special, 2sth, to the Philadelphia
Record.
While in the agony of death from
hydrophobia, this morning, Captain
George NJ. Bochoven related to his
physicians at the New York Hospital
his dying sensations, as they came
over him.
When he realized that but few
more moments remained to him, he
dictated the following note to his wife ::
"I know that l have not more than
day to live. I realize that l must
die. I understand we'll that / am suf.
fering from hydrophobia. So don't
grieve. You and l have been happy
many years. Now let's talk matters
over. You are well provided for.
Our son will take good care of you.
But please don't cry"
Captain Bochoven was the skipper
of the tug Corona, and was 81 years
old and of excellent physique.
On June 12 yellow cur came
aboard the tug and Captain Bochoven
attempted to put him off. The dog
turned on him and bit him at the base
of the right thumb.
Not until last Wednesday did the
first symptoms of the disease appear.
He then experienced difficulty in swal-
lowing, and when he tried to drink
water found that the muscles OF his
throat had contracted so that he could
not swallow. -,
He went to a physician, who told
him he was suffering from asthma,
and gave him prescription. He tried
to take it, but could not swallow the
medicine.
Yesterday he went to the New
York branch of the Pasteur Institute,
on Twenty-third street, taking his
wife and sou. The house surgeon ex-
amined him and told him his malady
was bydrophobia. Captain Bochoven
then told him about the dogs bite.
Later in the day DR.. Paul Gibler
made q close examination of the case,
and found that the disease had gone
so far that the Pasteur antitoxine
treatment would be useless.
Then, in the presence of Mrs. Boch'
oven and their son, DR.. Gibler gently
told the captain that his hours were
numbered. IT will do all I can to save
your life," said he, "but I would ad-
wise you to settle your affairs while
you are still rational"
DR.. Gibler, however, decided to give
the patient the Buisson hot bath treat
ment. The man was accordingly taken
to a private establishment on West
Twenty.frst street. The temperature
was kept at 12O degrees for half an
hours. Captain Bochoven began to
show signs of sinking, and the Pasteur
Institute physicians, who had him IN
charge, decided to send him to the
New York Hospital, as they knew
be must very die.
At the New York Hospital he began
to develop the worst symptoms OF ny,
drophobia. The wound became red
and swollen and a deep red line ap-
peared following the course OF the
lymphatic glands. A profusion OF
viscid saliva began to issue from his
mouth. The next symptoms which
appeared were violent contractions OF
the muscles about the mouth and face,
and the man appeared to be in intense
agony.
Bochoven showed evidences Of at
tacks of hallucinations and his talk
was full of insane remarks. At no
time did he bark or show any signs OF
detestation or fear of water, which
symptoms are proverbially coincident
with the disease.
The entire staff of physicians of the
hospital surrounded the dying man and
did what they could to ease him with
morphine. During his lucid intervals
he evinced extraordinary fortitude In
his suffering, and at times related his
sensations.
Lurid lights, he said, appeared be.
fore his eyes, and there was continual
scintilation of bright sparks. AS ne
approached death his agony increased,
and he said that most of the pain was
centered in the brain and the muscles
of the face.
The physicians said that the pains in
the head and the flashing lights which
the patient saw were evidences that
the general centre of the disease was
in the brain, and that Bochoven was
past all possibility of cure.
Toward morning he got weaker and
weaker, and his mind continued in q
perpetual state of unbalance. At 2.5O
o'clock he died.
DR.. Gibler gave Captain Bochoven
the Buisson treatment as last hope.
1t consists merely of hot Russian
bath, and this is the first time it has
ever been tried in America, though
j