Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 138, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1911 — A PUP BITE CAUSES DREAD HYDROPHOBIA. [ARTICLE]

A PUP BITE CAUSES DREAD HYDROPHOBIA.

W. A. Crisler, a Farmer Living Near Rensselaer, Seized with Disease, And Death is Certain. . Wiliam A. Crisler, who the George Pumphrey farm, just northeast of town, and moved to It from Mt Ayr in the spring of 1910, is confined at his home with hydrophobia resulting from the bite of a stray dog about eight weeks ago. Specialists •say that Mr. Crisler will di® and it is probable that he can last but a few days. The case is one of the saddest occurrences that ever happened in this county.

Although bitten about eight weeks 'ago, the slight wound on the hand having completely healed, Mr. Crisler was seized Sunday morning with convulsions, and when Dr. E. N. Loy arrived at the home he pronounced the symptoms strongly resembling hydrophobia/ Dr. Washburn was called into consultation and confirmed the diagnosis. It was decided to take Mr. Crisler at once to the Pasteur Institute in Chicago, where it was expected to treat him and where it was hoped he might be cured. The trip was made to Chicago in the afternoon and the specialists confirmed the diagnosis of the local physicians and stated that the case was so advanced that nothing could be done for the unfortunate man. They said that death waff certain to follow shortly. Mr. Crisler was brought home on the 11 o’clock train Sunday night, being taken to his home in the Wright ambulance. He had two convulsions coming from Chicago and was very sick. This Monday morning there is no particular change except that the convulsions which are expected to carry him off are more severe than they were Sunday and apparently will Increase in frequency and severity. Mr. Crisler is entirely conscious and talked with the physicians about the circumstance of his being bitten. He saw a stray pup enter his chicken house and went to drive it away. The dog snarled and showed his teeth and Mr. Crisler picked up a club and struck at the dog as it ran toward him, but he was bitten on the hand. Only a small wound resulted and he gave it little thought. It healed readily and there was no sign of the disease until Sunday morning, when upon seeing water he was seized with a paroxysm of the larynx, a jerking and throbbing of the throat that can not be stopped. The sight of a particle of water causes a recurrence of this trouble. A flash of bright light, a draft across the face, the sight of food, and in fact, almost anything, seemed to produce the same convulsions. It is therefore necessary to keep him confined in a darkened room, free from draft and from the sight of the things that produce the paroxysms. But this will not suffice to prevent their recurrence, as the thought of them produces the same result.- How long he can endure under this strain the doctors do not know but they think it probable that twen-ty-four hours may be the longest period. The physicians say that the general belief that a human afflicted with the disease will bite others and infect them is an error. They say there is no danger at all to those who are nursing him. Mr. Crisler has a wife and one son. He is one of our most excellent citizens and the fact that he has become a victim of so serious an affliction has caused the greatest amount of sorrow. Dr. Loy, who had taken a firm grasp on the dog question following the death of 39 hogs in Gillam township that were afflicted with rabies, has determined to enforce wjth rigor the. order for the quarantining of dogs. They must be muzzled or confined on the premises or they will be killed. He has sent letters to each trustee telling them to have the road supervisors comply with his order for quarantine an A killing of dogs. Dr. Gwin took the ‘ same precautionary measures against a spread within the city following the first discovery of hydrophobia and many dog owners killed their dogs and most others were reasonable and have complied with the order. It is believed that owners of dogs all over the county will act with equal concurrence in complying with the order of the county health officer. The situation is too serious for dog owners to act stubborn and It will do them no good. The law is in the interest of the public health and violations of the order are to be summarily dealt with. Mr. Crista's Condition Very Bad at 3 This A f ternoon. At 3 o’clock this Monday afternoon Mr. Crista's condition was very bad. Persons who saw him shortly before noon think that he can not long with-

stand the terrible strain. He is now apparently unconscious of what goes on about him and sometimes lies for quite a little while as rigid as though dead and then will be seized with one of the convulsions and this causes him to throw himself all over the bed.