The Washington herald., 1908-05-22
RABIES LEAVE MARKS
Autopsy Proves the Cause of
Brooklyn Mans Death.
SPINAL CORD IS AFFECTED
Examination Is Made as Result of
Rumors that Marsh Died as the
Result of Fear and Copious Admin
istration of Opiates-son Takes
Precautionary Treatment.

New York. May a.-Because of repre-
sentations coming from a few individuals
who constitute themselves a semi-medicai
society. Coroner Brewer, of Brooklyn,
after consultation with District Attorney
Clark. ordered an autopsy TO be perform
ed to-day upon the body Of William H.
Marsh, the Brooklyn man who died from
rabies on Wednesday.
DR.. Ira Won Giesen. Of the city labora-
tory of research, who assisted the cor
oner's physician, Emil Hartung. in the
autopsy. reported coneurrently with the
coroner's physician that Mr.. Marsh had
died as the result OF an undoubted case
81 rabies and the administration of cpl
ates by the physicians attending him
played no part in the cause Of death.
Dr. Won Giesen's opinion was so sure
that grisly incident of the autopsy led
him 10 take immediate measures of self
protection. While he was removing a
portion of the backbone Of the dead man
for the purpose of studying the condition
OF the spinal cord, the physician scratch
ed his wrist with the edge Of one OF the
vertebra- He told his fellow-physician
that he would take no chances and that
to-day he would begin the twenty-three
days Pasteur treatment for the preven-
ton Of rabies in his own laboratory.
signs All characteristics.
The examination of Mr. Marsh's body
brought out all Of the characteristic post
mortem signs Of rabies. The lesion in
medulla Oblongata and the diseased con
dition of the spinal cord. always brought
about by hydTophObia, were found ex-
listing in the body Of the man who had
died under the rabies diagnosis.
Since pseudo-rabies is neever fatal of
itself and by its nature leaves no marks
Of change in the bodily tissue, the con-
tentiOn urged upon District Attorney
Clark that Mr.. Marsh's death had been
caused by fear and the administration
OF drugs wa found 70 De absolutely
baseless.
Miss Edna Thompson, the young
woman who works in the Office of Mr.
Marsh's mandatory, and who handled
his wounded bulldog on the same day
that Mr.. Marsh is supposed 20 have be-
come infected with the rabies virus, is
suffering now from nothing so much as
the il-advised ministTations OF her
friends, according to the physician who
has been giving her the precautionary
Pasteur treatment for the past four days
The tragic death Of her employer and
her natural nervousness have been play
ed upon by those who have come in con-
tact with her until she is suffering from
nervous relapse. but nothing more seri-
Gus
Sen Also Takes PrecautiOn.
Ramsey Marsh, son of the dead man,
who handled the dog at the same time
that his father became inoculated. is
also taking the Pasteur treatment He
is doing it as a matter OF .precaution
also
Since the facts of Mr. Marsh's sudden
seizure on Monday last and subsequent
death have become known. there has
been a general hysteria Of rabies, accord
ing to William L. Wheeler. of the
Pasteur Institute. All day Wednesday
and to-day from o'clock until in the
afternoon, there was a steady stream of
people hurrying to the institute. driven
by mad fear that some trivial scratch
they had received from the family cat
or puppy during weeks or months past.
had doomed them to the fate Of the
Brooklyn man. All of these numerous
ones were reassured. some a bit roughly
when they insisted that they were going
TO die.
DR.. Wheeler said to-day that tiInid
folks should have some definite assur-
ance that any bite from a household pet
or other animal did not necessarily fore
shadow death by rabies. Simple observa-
tions on the part Of the one bitten would
serve TO allay most fears he said
The funeral of Mr.. Marsh will be held
Saturday.