The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-21
RABIES PATIENT
DIES PEACEFULLY
Mrs. Cairns, Victim of Dog
Bite, Passes Away With
out Pain
BODY WILL BE BURIED
IN KEYSTONE STATE
Pecuniary Consideration Played
No Part in Connection With
Decision Not to Take
Treatment.

Death came early Thursday morning
TO the relief OF Mrs. John J. Cairns, of
Second street road. near Highland
Park. who was stricken with abies
last Saturday as the result of being
bitten by mad puppy, Mry 30. Mrs.
Cairns, who was IS years old, passed
away peacefully having been I'm a
semi condition for twelve
hours before the end.
Early Wednesday afternoon, she
lapsed into coma and while her eyes
continued highly infiamed and her face
flushed. she gave no signs of pain or
agony that had characterized her
condition for several days. Late IN
the afternoon. her temperature rose 10
I03, which is several degrees above
normal At night came on. however.
her temperature went down. Members
Of the family together with DR.. A. l..
Martin, the attending physician, ana
Miss Seay. the trained nurse, were
present at the bedside when the end
cana.
wednesday afternoon. several
prominent physicians of Richmond,
at the request Of DIR. Martin. visited
the Cairns home and after viewing
the patient fully agreed with LIT.
Martin in his diagnosis of the case
as dumb hydrophobia. These ply
sicians were DIR. j. s. Horsley, DR..
Edward Mcclure and DR.. r. 8. Bryan.
The body will be forwarded Friday
afternoon by way OF the Seaboard AIT
Line to Avella. Pa, for burial. Funeral
services win be held here before ship
ment OF the remainA
Not Question OF Money.
Members OF Mrs. Cairns family say
that never for a moment would she
have failed to take the pasteur treat
ment, had DR.. Hoen. in charge OF
this department at Virginia hospital,
been able TO give any assurance that
the treatment, administered after nine
days from the time Mrs. Cairns was
bitten. would prove effective. Accord
ing to those yersed In pRsteur mat
tiers, II appears that nine days ~ re-
garded as the period of rabies infec-
ton and II is rare that the treatment
proves OF any effect II administered
after this period has elapsed.
In Mrs Cairns case, II was eleven
days before II was determined that
the puppy was afflicted with rabies
when he bit her and that was why
she delayed in consulting the pasteur
expert.
Believed It Too Late.
The family say that the pecuniary
feature OF the treatment was an in
consequential one with them and that
the charge OF $3.50 would have been
gladly paid had they believed that IL
was not too late to take the treat
ment. In addition, they say that DR..
/ Hoen gave assurance that only a very
small percentage OF personals actually
| contract the disease after being bitten
| by a mad animal and in Mrs. Cairns
| case he thought the danger was
slight especially in view of the fact
that she was bitten on the hand where
there are comparatively few nerves,
DR.. Hoen advised that she take the
| treatment as a matter of extra pre-
caution. even though the period OF in
| lection had passed.
| The family feel aggrieved at the
report that money consideration In
| nuenced them in not taking the ad-
| vice OF DR.. Hoen and they wish the
| public to know the facts just as they
were and as they are herein present
| ed, The Virginia, not having intend
ed TO mortify or embarrass the family
| in its publication, takes pleasure In
| printing this statement Indeed the
report printed yesterday. taken In its
| entirety showed that the family were
influenced In their decision by the
lapse of time since the bite and the
rarity Of infection
| f0CLS IN Tie Ease.
The following statement Issued by
DR.. Martin Thursday sets forth yer,
clearly the substantial facts In con.
nection with the case:
The Scotch collie belonging to ths
| family first became sick the lattsi
part of May and bit the puppy. After
| Ave days the dog died in an outhous'
! on the premises. where ne had beer
| confined. the family thinking he hat
been poisoned. The puppy becam,
| sick in nine days and bit Mrs. Cairn.
when she tried to prevent him from
chasing chickens about the premises
The same day he also bit the house
hold cat. A few days later the pupp,
died in much the same manner a.
| the collie had died.
/ In nine days from the time Mrs
| Cairns was bitten the cat went mad
| and was killed. Its head was SEN
/ without delay to the Pasteur 1nsti
/ tute. and, on examination. showed
unmistakable signs OF rabies. Tit
COW that was bitten by the collie
| also died OF rabies. displaying q
number Of symptoms which marked