The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-05-26
.HYDROPHOBIA VICTIM DIES
William n. Marsh BraysIy Meets
Fate lie Knew Inevitable.
Doomed Inventor, sootiled by Cpiates,
Passed Into Final Commissions
Within Time Predicted.

Brooklyn, N. with nervous
twitching of the hands and facial con-
tortions that Mortified the distressed
members of his family, but probably
unconscious of the frightful agony Of
it all because of the merciful use of
opiates, William H. Marsh, Flatbush
inventor, died from hydrophobia at
4.50 o'clock in the afternoon of the
third day since the scientists told him
his case was, hopeless, in his home,
No. "a Ocean avenue. He was told
by DIR. William l.. Wheeler, director
of the Pasteur Institute, three days
before that he had come too late and
that the Pasteur treatment would not
avail. Calmly the condemned man
asked how many days he had to live,
and on being told not more than four
days were between him and death
Marsh said he could meet his fate
without fear, having his business in
good shape, and that in another day
he could take up the loose ends of
his affairs and await death.
There was no trace of nervousness
beyond the contortions of his mouth
and the convulsive Tightening of his
jaws as Marsh drove away in his car
riage from the Pasteur Institute to
wait far worse fate than the State
DEGREES to the slayer of his fellow
man. Having made his business af-
fairs straight, the inventor went to
his home and to bed. The fearful
commissions had seized him. He ex-
acted the promise from his private
physician, DR., Cullinan, that he would
be kept under the influence of opiates,
that his physical torture might be
lessened. He was only partly con-
scious when the final commissions pre-
ceding death came upon him and he
died as peacefully as it was possible
for medical science to devise in such
narrowing conditions
Marsh was president of the Stand.
ard Water Meter Company Nos. 245
to 249 Robinson street, Flatbush
He was one of those remarkable char
acters who accomplish great things
and seldom are heard of by the gen.
eral public. He invented many me.
chanical devices and made and lost
four large fortunes. His water meter
was rapidly making him another for.
tune when his death resulted from his
affection for hiz daughters pet span
lei puppy. His case is rare in the his
tory of rabies He was not bitten,
but inoculated with the virus of rab
les. The pet dog was bitten by o
mongrel that ran mad six weeks age
through the neighborhocd near
Marsh's shop. The spaniel Fluff, OF
which Marsh was very fond, was
romping about the shop door wher
the mad cur tore its side. Marsh
called a veterinary surgeon and had
the wound dressed. Then he cared
for Fluff himself. The grateful ami.
NAL licked Marsh's hands in dumb
recognition of the tender treatment
of it's wound. There was a hang.
nail' on one of Marsh's fingers, and
it is believed that through this insig.
nificant abrasion the virus passed
into his system. In the medical rec
ords of the malady there is said to be
only one other case similar tc
Marsh S, that of man in Paris who
received the poison through wound
Every hour that the inventor lived
after he became afflicted with the ter
rible disease was one of extreme men,
tai and physical agony to himself
and of misery to his family
There is danger that Miss Edna D
Thompson, aged twenty-five, Mi
Marsh's stenographer, may have
been inoeulated with rabies. The
young woman astonished her friends
by saying that she had been bitten by
the dog which poisoned Mr.. Marsh.
When the doctors of the Pasteui
Institute treated Mr. Marsh they
asked him if any one else had come
in contact with the dog. He said that
his son Ramsey and Miss Thompson
had petted the animal while it was in
the factory in Robinson street.
Miss Thompson and Ramsey Marsh
went to the Pasteur Institute to be
treated.
From all parts of the country let.
tiers and kilograms of sympathy tc
the number of 200 came to the Marsh
home, No "A Ocean avenue, BrooE.
Ign. The telephone was kept con.
stantly ringing. Persons as far away
as Chicago, Pittsburg and Philadel.
phia called up to offer help and ad
vice.