Year: 1869

From the Lexington (Ky) Observer.


Our city, on Thursday, was the scene of one OF
those heart-rendjng Occurrences-a death by HYDRO
phobla. The victim of the fearful maady was a
young man by the name of John Alexander, son Of
Mr., j. w. Alexander, who kept confectionery on
Limestone street, between Main and Short The
particulars OF the sad case are most distressing.


The young man had been bitten by rabid dog as
long ago as the night OF the goth Of last August
While walking along Third street dog ran out OF
an alley, and without even premonitory bark,
silently but ercely seized him by the calf of the leg
biting clear through the boot. Mr. Alexander sue
ceeded In kicking him on, but he came at him again
and bit his hand, the teeth meeting through it, lie
did not know at the time that the dog was mad.
He sought professional advice, but was assured
by the physlclan that he was In no danger The
scratches and wounds healed quickly and he thought
no more about the matter until last Tuesday night,
when, after being initiated member or the Ashla1d
Lodge of Good Templars he experienced, ON taking
a drink Of water, most singular and unpleasant
feeling In his throat, bat he soon got over 1t. He
was troubled with nothing more unpleasant until
Wednesday afternoon at about O'Clock, Wnen, on
again attempting TO taSe glass OF water ne found
he could not drink. He then immediately suspected
the cause OF h 8 sickness, aud determined TO fully
test it, He tried TO force water into his mouth with
a spOon, but his arm gave spasmodlc jerk, senoing
the spoon lying through the cir and he fell back
upneryed and wild ana sick, both from the effects
OF the maady and the horrible certainly Of his
rapidly approaching fate ,,,
on Thursday morning he got rapidly worse, and
continued To suffer most terribly till the time OF his
death The agony he endured no words can de-
scribe and the physicians attending him said his
were the most fearful sunerings thcy ever had wit
messed, He nOMlGu anu buhIlcu ana bdFkeu ike u
dog He scratched and clawed at the bed-clothing
until il was almost torn to shreds. Spasms aud con-
yusions succeeded each other, rackng his tortured
hody and causing him to foam at the mouth like q
wild and rabld animal, and in his frenzy the veins
wonld swell like they would burst, and he wsuld
bark and cough as though his lungs would be forced
up and blood would gush in streams from his mouth
and nostrs. The bed on which he was held down
by strong men was saturated through and through
with the crimson stream.


strange TO saw he was conscious nearly the entire
time and, devoted and sef-sacrihcng, he firmly in
sisted that none OF his agonzed ar d weeping rea-
tions should be allowed to come near him. he was
AFRAID he might injure them. His father who had
been absent arrived little while before his DEATH
but on being told that he had come, he exclaimed
sDon't let him see me-"


At about O'Clock his suferlngs became even more
intensified and he screamed and shrieked "Water
water! force 1t down mel oh DEATH hurry, hurry !!
His attendant physicians, who had done all Ia theiI
power TO alleviate his suferngs, again administered
chloroform most cOpiously, and its soothing and
pain-deadening effects came with thrice blessed
power, breaking the force OF the last fearful mo-
inents OF suffering, and the unfortunate victim Of
that most horrible Of AL maladies, hydroph0bia