St. Landry Democrat

A Terrible Death from Hydrophobia.

Mrs. Elizabeth Guckert, a middle-aged widow, died this afternoon of hydrophobia. Dr. Kuhn, her physician, said: "Ten weeks ago she came to my office suffering from a large and terribly lacerated wound in the right arm below the elbow. The flesh had been nearly torn to the bone. She told me that a savage dog had attacked and bitten her in her yard. I dressed the wound, applied the proper remedies, cauterized it, and bound it up. It proved to be a very stubborn one and was a month in healing. Finally, however, the wound healed up nicely, and I had hopes there would be no other trouble. I heard no more of the lady until Wednesday. I called on her and found her in great agony. The symptoms were those of unmistakable hydrophobia, and I concluded there was little if any hope of her recovery. The least noise or jar threw her into violent spasms. Her entire body twitched. It was impossible even to remove a pillow without throwing her into a fit. A slight froth came from her mouth. Her lips were turning black and blue. At times yesterday afternoon the sufferer was perfectly conscious, and complained of great thirst. She thought she would die, but had an idea that it was the heart-disease. All the afternoon she was gradually sinking and becoming weaker and more exhausted. The sufferer was bitten by a large black dog belonging to a neighbor. The dog had been whipped by a stranger, and the animal ran in Mrs. Guckert's yard in an empty kennel. The woman went there to chase the dog out and he suddenly jumped for her and fastened his teeth in her arms. She was able during the night to take some medicine, but when water was offered with which to quench her thirst it had the effect of throwing her into spasms, during which time it required several persons to hold her. The physicians administered hypodermic injection of morphine, which had the effect of soothing her somewhat. The muscles of her neck seemed to be paralyzed, and on this account she sat up in bed a greater part of the time, fearing that if she lay down she would suffocate. She died about 2:30 o'clock this afternoon, after suffering terrible agony. During the late spasms and paroxysms she would bark and whine like a dog and endeavor to snap those who were holding her in bed."—Reading (Pa.) Special (Sept. 8) to Chicago Tribune.