Hydrophobia Cured by Force of Will.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 40, 27 December 1879, Page 4

Hydrophobia Cured by Force of Will.

The following interesting particulars of thp influence of the mind on the body are fiirnished in a late issue of the ,f Cornhill Magazine” : —“ Andrew Cross, the electrician, had been bitten severely by a cat, which on the same day (lied from hydro* phobia, He soerns resolutely to have dismissed from his mind any fears which must naturally have been suggested by these circumstances. Had he yielded to them, as most men would, he might not improbably have succumbed within a few days or weeks to an attack of mindcreated hydrophobia—so to describe the fatal ailment which ere now has been known to kill persons who had been bitten by animals perfectly free from rabies. Three months passed, du ing which Cross enjoyed his usual health. At the end of that time, however, he felt one morning a severe pain in his arm, accompanied by a severe thirst. He oallgd for water, but ' at'the insiaift,’ he say§,' .‘that' f was about' to raise the tumbler to ipy Hps, a strong spasm shot across my throat j immediately sh? ttn*rlbW copvlcthm bam© t° iny nirn'T thati was about to fall a victim to hydrophobia, the conssquence of the bite that I had re ceiveu fro nl the cat. The agony of rniud I endured for one liouf ? B indescribable j the contemplation of such a horrible death death from 1 hydropli.obia—-was almost insupportable ; the torments of hell jtsglf could not have surpassed what I suffered. The pain, which had first commenced in my hand, passed up to the elbow, and front thence to the shoulder, threatening to extend- t felt alj. human aid was useless, and J believed that J ?n u St cliel A| length I began to reflect upon my e<mdition. I said to myself, ‘ Bithei' I must die or I shall not; if I do, it will only be a similar fato which many have suffered, and many more must suffer, and I must begr it like a man ; if, on the other hand, there i§ apy hope pf my life, my only chance is ni summoning : up my utmost resolution, the attack, and exerting every eftbpt of my mind,’ Ac* cordingiy, feeling that physical as well as mental exertion was necessary, 1 took my gun, shouldred it, and went out for the purpose of shooting, my arm aching the while intolerably. I met with no sport, buff walked flie whple afternoon, exerting at ©very step I wept a strong mental effort against the disease, When I returned to the house d was decidedly better ; I was able to eat some dinner, and drank water as usual. The next morning ray aching pain had gone down to my elbow, the following it went down tp my wrist, and the third day left me altogether. I nmbtjoned the circumstance to Dr. Hmglake, and he ggid he certainly considered I had had an attack of hydrophobia, which would possibly have proved fatal had I not struggled against it by a strong effort of mind.”