DIED FROM HYDROPHOBIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7341, 30 May 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

DIED FROM HYDROPHOBIA.

Samokl Lazare was a Frenchman, living It Chicago. He was a strongly-built man of forty-two years, and up to a short time ago enjoyed the best of health. Bat on March 19 he lay on a bed in a small room at the rear of his store writhing in agony. His condition was brought about from the bite of a dog. Eight weeks before Lazare had occasion to go into the yard at the back of his house. A large Newfoundland dog was feeding oat of a plate. Tho doe was chained. Lazare attempted -to take the plate of food from the animal, when it snapped at him, and buried its fangs in his hand. A small wound was made in the cartilage which connects the thumb and forefinger of the hand. The wound was so ■light that Lazare paid no attention to the matter for a time. Soon after, however, his left arm commenced to swell, and he complained of a aevera pain in his shoulders, The next day, while attempting to drink a' glaaa of water, he wan suddenly eeized with a terrible epasm, lasting many minutes. Thoroughly alarmed by this time, Lazare had Dr. Fropeok called in. Every symptom pointed to the fact that the cue was one of genuine hydrophobia, and, after summoning Dr. Niell in consultation, it was decided to keep the patient under the influence of anodines. All attempts, to administer medicines in liquid form proved futile, as at the first glance at them Lazare was seized with a spasm. It had become necessary, therefore, to give them to him in the shape of pills. The night before he died the sick man was taken with a terrible convulsion. He snapped and snarled at everyone within reach, and the family were compelled to call in the aid of four strong men to hold him down in bed. The case having been called to his attention, a reporter visited the house. He had been informed by the physioians that the medicines given to the patient daring the day had quieted him considerably. Lazare was found resting easily , . It was absolutely necessary not to speak to him on the subject of the dog, as previous reference to that subject had thrown him into convulsions. He lay in bed, and had a fever on him. The left hand and arm were very muoh swollen, and the mark of the dog's teeth could be plainly discerned. For the space of five minutes the patient talked rationally, but soon his mind commenced to wander. He was a member of the Knights of Honour, a secret insurance order, and his chief hallucination before death was that he would die and hie family would not get the insurance. He had taken the queer notion that no one Bhouid wait on him except a Miss Wolf. Her father and Lazare were old friends, and the day his symptoms became alarming he sent for the daughter. If she left him for two minutes at a time he called for her. A few minutes before the reporter called, Miss Wolf was trying to give the sick man some medicine. A spasm seized him, and, without a moment's warning, he throw His arms around her and attempted to bury his teeth in her cheek. Fortunately, he did not succeed in breaking the skin, but the mark could plainly be seen. Lazare was very well known, and the house was crowded with friends and neighbours, who were greatly excited over the strange case. Lazare died at half-past seven o'clock in the evening.