The sun., 1908-05-22
MANY FEAR THEY HAVE RABIES
SCARE FOLLOWS THE DEATH or
W. ~. MARSH or BROOKLYN.
Every Little Scratch by . Household Pet
an Excuse for Alarm "A Pasteur Physl-
clan Tells what should he Done-Au-
topsy In Marsh Case yerlnes Diagn Osis.

an Excuse for Alarm A Pasteur Physl-
clan Tells what should he DOne-.Au-
topsy In Marsh Case yerines Diagn osis.
Because Of representations coming from
few individuals who constitute them
selves semi-medical society, Coroner
Brewer of Brooklyn, after consultation
with District Attorney Clarke, ordered
an autopsy to be performed yesterday
upon the body of William H. Marsh, the
Brooklyn man who died OF rabies at his
home, "a Ocean avenue, on Wednesday.
DR.. Ira Won Giesen Of the City Laboratory
of Research, who assisted Coroner \
Physician Emil Hartung In the autopsy.
reported concurrently with the Coroner's =
physician that Mr. Marsh had died az
the result OF an undoubted case Of rabies,
and that the administration of opiates by
the physicians attending him played no
part in the cause Of death.
DIR. Won Giesen's opinion was so sure
that an incident of the autopsy led him
TO take immediate measures Of self pro-
lection 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 scratched his
wrist with the edge of one Of the vertebr@.
He told his fellow physician that he would
take no chances and that to-day he would
begin the twenty-three days Pasteur treat
ment for the prevention OF rabies in his
own laboratory.
The examination OF Mr.. Marsh's body
brought out all Of the characteristic post
mortem signs Of rabies. The lesion in the
medulla oblongata and the diseased con-
dition OF the spinal cord always brought
about by hydrophobia were found exist
ing in the body of the man who had died
under the rabies diagnosis. Since pseudo
rabies is never fatal Of itself and by its
nature leaves no marks Of change In the
bodily tissue, the contention urged upon
District Attorney Clarke that Mr.. Marsh's
death had been caused BY fear and the
administration OF drugs was found to be
absolutely baseless.
Miss Edna Thompson. the young woman
who works In the office Of Mr.. Marsh 8
manufactory and who handled his wounded
bulldog on the same day that Mr.. Marsh
Ia supposed to have become infected with
the rabies virus, Is suffering now from
nothing 20 much as the III advised ministra-
tions Of her friends. according TO the physi-
clan who has been giving her the precau-
tonary Pasteur treatment for the last four
days. The tragic death Of her employ er
and her natural nervousness have been
play cd upon by those who have come in
contact with her until she is suffering from
nervous relapse but nothing more serious
Miss Thompson has no signs Of rabies or
pseudo-rabies or even hysteria," said Dr.
- hi d. To-
the physicia who has been treating her,
alone she may be driven to nervous prostra-
ton. but have given her my assuran oe
that as far as danger Of rabies is concerned
she need have no fear. will continue Q
giving her the Pasteur treatment for the
spa'd Mr. ss%ssy %e Maash matter ss 1 soa Of
the dead man. who handled the dog at the
same time that his father became innoou-
lated. is also taking the treatment He Ia
doing 1t as a matter Of precaution also
Since the faots OF Mr.. Marshs sudden
death have become known there has been
general hysteria Of rabies terror. accord
ing to DR.. Wheeler. All day Wednesday
and yesterday from O'Clock until 8 In the
afternoon there was a steady stream of
people hurTying to the institute, driven by
mad fear that some trivial scratch they had
received from the family cat or puppy In
weeks or months past had doomed them
to the fate Of the Brooklyn man. All Of
these tmorous ones were treasured. some
bit roughly, when they insisted that they
Dr.. Wheeler said yesterday that timid
folk should have some definite assurance
that any bite from household pet or other
animal did not necessarily foreshadow
death by rabies. Simple observation on
the part Of one bitten would serve to alay
most fears, said he
There is no season which br ings about
more cases Of rabies than any other season,
said Dr. Wheeler There are as many cases
in winter as in the hottest part Of summer.
Nor does susceptibility depend upon any
physical condition In the body Of the patient.
tors have been unable to trace the source
and fundamental causes Of the growth OF
the rabies germ. Just as they have failed to
find the source Of the yellow faver bacillus.
@The period Of incubation of the germ
in the human being Is longer than In that
OF the dog. on account OF whom SS per cent
of rabies cases are caused. The saliva
of the dog afflicted with rabies Is not infeo-
tious more than three or four days before
the dog begins to show signs Of the disease.
IF one is bitten by a dog. therefore, the
first thing to do is to tie the animal up, IL il
ton for a week, II no signs Of rabies are
visible in the creature in that time the one
bitten need have no fear Of being subject
to the disease himself. Rabies can only
be transferred by direct incubation. The
number of cases depends entirely upon the
number Of dogs that are 30 afflicted. The
spread of the disease within the last few
years can only be attributed to the greater
number Of dogs in existence and their wide
The period of incubation In human
being is all the way from two weeks to a
year in duration After even the first signs
Of rabies are discovered In an individual
those OF mental depression. unreasoning
fear. excitability. medical aid cannot avail
ah IT is very ifh difiicult to diagnose
hydrophobia. consequently one should not
take any chances IL he has been bitten, bit
should carefully keep the dog under OBJ
seryation.'
The funeral Of Mr. Marsh will be held on
from the Marsh home in Flatbush.