Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-12-18
HORRIBLE DEATH.

After snarling, biting and suffering one
convuIsion after another in rapid success
sion for fully four hours, during which
it required six men to hold him, Harry
Ayersman, aged IS years, of Rollesburg,
w. Va, victim of hydrophobia, died
of sheer exhaustion yesterday at the
Pasteur department of the College OF
Physicians and Surgeons in Baltimore.
The young man was very robust, and his
efforts to escape from the physicians were
terrific while the commissions were of
terriblec severity.
Young Ayersman showed symptoms of
hydrophobia about week ago, and was
taken to Baltimore only as last re-
source. He was accompanied by Dr. F.
w. Fogle, of Rollesburg, who has been
attending him recently. The physician
and his parent arrived at the hospital
yesterday morning.
The change of temperature, caused by
moving the patient from the train to the
ambulance, brought on convulsion, and
it was with some difficulty that the young
man was quieted. However, when the
ambulance arrived at the college the
patient was comparatively quiet.
DR.. n. G.. Keirle, director OF the de-
partment, and DR.. Alfred Quessy, his
assistant, examined the patient and did
every thing possible to ease his suffering.
For some time young Ayersman re-
mained perfectly quiet, but shortly after
noon he began to grow restless and froth
aecked his lips. Then he became de-
irious and later was seized with a con-
yuIsipn. That convulsion was practically
the beginning of the end, for from then
until O clock, when he died, he passed
from one convulsion into another each
Increasing in severity until the end.
Young Ayersman was bitten on No
vember 19 last, and, though the symp-
toms of hydrophobia displayed them
selves about week ago, the wound was
perfectly healed. The young man on
the above date was driving wagon near
his home, in Rollesburg, with several
companions, when they noticed large
dog of common breed following then.
Ayersman alighted from the wagon fer
some unknown reason, and the dog in
mediately attacked him. A struggle fol-
lowed, and Ayersman succeeded in beat
ing the animal Off However, in the
struggle the dog sunk his teeth deep into
the palm of Ayersman' right hand and
then escaped.
The young man then drove to bis
home, and, as the wound healed quickly,
he thought no more of it. About a
week ago, however, he became restless
and nervous, and DR.. Fogle was sum-
moned. The physician watched his
patient very carefully, and on Saturday
last he noticed that he was suffering
from spasmodic convulsions of the
throat, and on the following day he
showed aversion to water, suffering con-
vulsions of the muscles of the throat at
the very sight Of it. He also became
delirious at times, but when rational he
displayed unusual affection toward the
members of his family, all of which are
symptoms of hydrophobia. Then on
Tuesday the patient began to weaken
materially, and the physician waited no
longer. but took him to Baltimore. In
moving the sufferer, any draught of air
that might strike him was sufficient to
cause a conyulsion.
When in the hospital at Baltimore
Ayersman was very vicious, and those
who endeavored to attend him were in
imminent danger, for he spat and bit
and snarled. A towel was placed over
his face to protect the attendants.