The daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami Co., Minn.) 1903-1904, 1903-12-28
DIPHTHERIA FROM
A BEAR
Hunter Shoots a Bear in an
Inflicted Hut and. Gets
Disease Soon After.
REMARKABLE STORY OF HENRY
BURKE, A HUNTER.
Burke's Boy ofSix Years of Age
Also Contracted the Disease
From the Animal.

Also Contracted the Disease
From the Animal.
Strange as it may seem, Henry
Burke, a northern Minnesota
professional hunter, lays an at
tack of diphtheria, from which
he is conYalescing, to a beer. He
also declares that his only child,
a boy of six, contracted the dis
ease from the animal. Burke
was deer hunting several weeks
ago, when he struck the trail of
a black bear making in the direc-
ton of a log cabin in which
family named Stevens had lived
last spring. He was then stalk
ing a buck and went on, but two
days later visited the same local
ity to get a shot at bruin. The
trasks had been obliterated, but
the hunter believed the animal
had not gone far, as it is time for
them to 'cave up" for the winter.
There were no caverns in the
vicinity, but it occurred to Burke
that the bear might have been
driven from his usual haunts by
the deer shooting and have taken
up a winter lodging in the old
hut. Such things had happened,
and he determined to Investigate.
The Stevens family had been
stricken with diphtheria shortly
before they moved, and the cabin
had since been abandoned. 1t
was Stunned by Woodsmen, dis
ease, but Burker had never been
sick in bed in his life, and he did
not hesitate to look over the place.
A search of the ground floor re-
suited in nothing, and Burke was
about to return home, Whenheno-
ticed a ladder leaning to the loft
where the Stevens children had
slept. Thehunterhad got half way
up the ladder when he heard a
deep breathing. It was dark
above, so he decended, making a
torch out of a balsam knot, and
returned. By thelightof the torch
he saw a bear curled up under an
old cot and half covered with
straw.
The animal opened his eye
growled and was starting to his
feet, when Burke shot him thro-
ugh the head. The hunter then
procured a rope and snaked him
up to a tree. Later in the day he.
got his mare and lugged the car
cass home. The six year-old boy
hung about while. the animal was
skinned, and that night, with the
hunter and the rest of the family,
dined on bear steak and then pl-
aged with the skin while his faith
err was dressing it, Some days
after the father and son developed
sore throats. The elder Burke
had once been afflicted with tons
ilitis, and, thinking that he had a
second attack, treated himselfand
offspring with a preparation Of
balsam gum and honey, home
made remedy. But the treatment
failed to conquer the disease and
and the next morning, Whenlarge
white patches appeared, acountry
physician was sent for. He dag
nosed the disease as diphtheria,
administered antitoxin and even
tuallY brought him potients out
danger. When Burke found out
what was the matter he laid the
trouble to the bear, which he
declared had carried the germs
in his long hair. He gave the hide
to another hunter. In time he got
the disease and Burke was more
than ever convinced that the bear
was responsible. The doctor
laughs at the idea, but Burke's
theory is accepted by some.