Middletown transcript., 1911-08-05
BOY DIES FROM RABIES

"A tAStAu "a IL bydiOp1OOinY oamoc 1AO
Sherry, the 8 year-old son OF Mrs. Jose
pbine McSherry, of Owings Mills, dice
at 7.2O o'clock Wednesday night at Mercy
Hospital after having suffered intense
agony from the dread disease.
His mother, had been constantly at the
boys bedside since Wednesday, when be
was br ught to the hospital with we'll
pronon ced symptoms of rabies. had left
the room about 10 minutes before.
There was no one in the room when
the boy died with the exception of DIR.
William w. Hobson and one of the Sis
ters of Mercy of the hospital. Az Z
o'clock the lad was noticed by nurse to
suddenly start forward, his eyes set, his
throat swollen, every limb quivering.
Then be sank to the pillow, with his
head thrown back.
Dr.. Hobson was hurriedly summoned
and when he reached the bedside the
little fellow lay still for a moment and
then had anothsr conyulsion. He looked
into the physician in an appealing man
ner, bnt DR.. Hobson realized that he
could do nothing for the little sufferer.
Narcotics we're administered in an effort
to alleviate the boys agony.
The drug seemed to have but little ef-
feet and the lad bad another Convulsion,
in which the end came.
A few minutes after the death OF her
son Mrs. McSherry returned to his room.
Worn and tired from her long vigil, she
had stepped out to get something to eat.
As she started toward the bedside she
was met by DR.. Hobson and one of the
Sisters, who told her OF the death OF her
son. The mother could no longer stand
the strain, and she collapsed.
The little fellows head was swathed in
bandagss and as he died even the physi-
clan was moved to tears.
Young McSherry was brought to the
hospital Wednesday morning after the
disease bad developed from an attack
made on him on July by a big rabbit
hound, which dug its fangs into the lower
lip and right cheek of.the boy.
DR.. Fl. G. Knapp, associate director of
the Pasteur Institute, who had treated the
boy up to the time of bis death, declared
late in the afternoon that he would be
unable to check the ravages of the dis.
ease. The only thing he could do, he
said, was to relieve the lads pain and
agony by injecting morphine into bis
body. In discussing the case he said:
The little fellow had no chance in the
world to recover. His death was only a
matter OF hours. Medical science could
not keep him alive.
The SYMPTOMS did not appear in the boy
until last Tuesday night, while be was
in bed. He tossed about and complained
of something funny in his throat" !"
Greatly alarmed, the mother sent for
DIR. ]. Rowe Price, of Glyndon, early
Wednesday morning. The physician at
once said rabies had developed.
Young McSherry was at play when he
was attacked by the hound, which dashed
from behind the barn on the farm and
made straight for him. Too young to
realize that the animal was mad, the boy
did not seek refuge, but was ready to
play with the animal, which had been a
pet. In its frenzy the dog paid no heed
to the greeting, but leaped at his face. In
terror the boy ran into the house. By
that time tarm hands had noticed the
strange actions of the animal and killed
it with club.
The wounds caused by the dog were
washed out by the boys mother, The
next day she notified DIR. Price, the fami-
ly physician. After cauterizing the wounds
the physician advised that the head of
the dog. be taken to Mercy Hospital for
examination.
This was done. After DR.. Nathaniel 6.
KeirIs and his two assistants had examin-
ed the head they declared the dog had
rabies. It was not until three days later
that the boy was taken to the Pasteur
Institute. After being inoculated with
the Pasteurserum, the lad returned to bis
home, making daily visits with his
mother to the institute to undergo the
treatment.
Wednesday morning it was seen that
the disease was rapidly developing and
was making inroads on the little fellows
nervous system. Hourly the. symptoms
became more pronounced as the boy lay,
scarcely able to move, on the cot.
Paralysis, which is one of the promi-
nent symptoms of the disease, rapidly
set in, as did the extreme sensitiveness.
Unable to eat anything, the little fellow
hadto receive liquid nourishment through
a tube thrust down his throat, Neither
could he drink water.
While the lad had great difficulty in
breathing because of the paralysis of the
throat, strange to say he was unable to
complain of too much air in the room.
Wednesday night one Of the windows in
HE HE ro0m Bear his bed was open aud
cooling breeze was blowing. He asked
that the window be closed, saying:
81 don't like that air coming in the
window"
The little fellow had no knowledge that
bis death was SO near. The boy appeared
cheerful at times, bus these moments
were seldom, as be frequently suffered
frnrn thn nnnu,Iainna uhinh narlsnd him