The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-23
NEAR To DEATH
FROM FRIGHT
Dogs Attack on Girl Cause
of Fatal Malady That Is
Battling Medical Science
GOES INTO COMMISSIONS
While No Bite Marks Could
Be Found, Case Is Said
to Resemble Hydrophobia
GOES INTO CONCLUSIONS

a little girl. formerly the embodiment
of health, now wasted and frail. whose
eyes are closed in semi-conscious stupor,
lies strapped to a bed in the Childrens
Hospital, while learned doctors are balk-
ed In prescribing the cure for her all
ment.
Some eight months ago, 10-year-old
Dorothy Feeney of 233 Waller street was
attacked by vicious mastiff. The child
was frightened into Mysteries. which de-
veloped into rawlings, and II aid is not
soon given to the sufferer her death will
result
Dorothy. accompanied by her little sis
ter Frances, was on an errand for her
mother at the time she encountered the
dog. AS they passed the house of Rich
ard Mccain, a contractor of 251 Waller
street, a large mastiff. named Beauty,
belonging to Mccain, sprang upon Dor
othy and knocked her to the ground. The
little one screamed with fright and the
dog was called off before doing further
harm
When Dorothy arrived home accom-
panied by Frances and the little daughter
of Mccain, she was in a state of col
lapse from fright. The mother soothed
her and nothing was thought of the oc-
currence as there were no marks of the
dogs teeth on the child's body Soon af
terward the little girl complained daily
of severe pains in the head and one after
noon had the first of a series of attacks
that resemble hydrophobia, utterly baf-
fling to medical science.
When the attacks came on, Dorothy's
screams and rawlings could be heard by
those passing the house. She was strap
ped to her little bed and between convul
sions begged her mother to take the dog
away; he's biting my hand: he'll kill
me" The agonized mother did her best
TO soothe the patient, but her efforts and
those of DR.. T. E. Shumate, who was
called in. were of no avail.
In her delirium the little girl could not
recognize her mother or her brother and
two little sisters Cocaine and chloro-
form were administered to bring relief,
but with small effect. In her lucid in
dying of exhaustion.
Finally DR.. Shumate, of whom the
mother speaks in grateful terms. succeed
ed in having Dorothy removed TO the
French Hospital Her cries and rawlings
disturbed the other patients and after
six days she was sent home. Later DR..
Shumate arranged to have her taken to
the Children's Hospital, where she is at
present. When the mother visited her
child yesterday the sufferer failed to rec
ognize her. The doctors assured Mrs.
Feeney that the girl was conscious and
knew what was passing, but seemed too
exhausted even to open her eyes.
Dorolhy's father was in the hospital
when the first attack came on. Last
April he died. and the care and worry
over the little patient have devolved upon
the mother, who, it is said. has aged
greatly since the trouble. The owner of
the dog has never visited the mother nor
inquired after the little ones condition
or offered to bear a share of the expense
that his dog has brought upon the wild
owed mother. Mccain is a contractor
and is said TO have considerable wealth.