“Was It Hydrophobia?”

[The worklist dates this item 1 May 1884, but the page image is the Chicago Tribune of Monday 24 Aug 1891, p. 3. The saloonkeeper's name is printed both "Steinman" and "Steinmann"; "hospiial" and "the ide of hydrophobia" are as printed.]

WAS IT HYDROPHOBIA?

THE CAUSE OF MRS. ANN RAFFAL'S DEATH A MOOTED QUESTION.

Some Persons Declare It the Result of a Dog's Bite, While Her Physician Vows It to Be Typho-Malaria—Queer Symptoms with Which the Dead Woman Became Afflicted—What Some of Those Interested in the Case Say.

Was hydrophobia, hysteria, or typhoid-malaria the cause of Mrs. Ann Raffal's death at St. Elizabeth's Hospital Saturday afternoon? There is a wide divergence in the opinions of physicians as to the cause of death and each theory has its adherents.

All the neighbors of the dead woman incline to the belief that hysteria was the cause of her taking-off. Mrs. Raffal was 46 years old and for some time past kept a boarding-house at No. 188 Blackhawk street. Four weeks ago she went to the saloon of Gustav Steinman, Halsted and Blackhawk streets, and on her return was almost hysterical, claiming to have been bitten by a dog while in the saloon. On the calf of her left leg were the marks of the dog's teeth which had gone through her clothing, but there was no abrasion of the skin and her friends assured her that there could be no danger, even if the dog had been rabid. She was fearful, however, and often said she was sure hydrophobia would result from the bite.

Either the fear of the disease or the disease itself so preyed upon the woman's mind that she became ailing and for hours at a time would sit in a state of melancholy, seemingly unconscious of her surroundings. From a hearty, strong woman she became almost an invalid in a week's time, and finally was compelled to take to her bed. Physicians were summoned, and the case was a puzzle to them. They could find nothing tangible in the way of a malady to diagnose and treat. The result was that she was given simple remedies. The neighbors say one physician called was so mystified that he gave the woman a good big dose of Epsom salts and turned her over to his successor.

Called It Typho-Malaria.

Dr. Nutin Hegnauer of No. 9 Rees street was called in the first of last week and found Mrs. Raffal in high fever. Her pulse was high and her temperature considerably above normal. He treated her for typho-malaria, and until yesterday he had no intimation of the woman's having been bitten. She said nothing of the matter to him, and none of the neighbors volunteered any information, and he had nothing to base a theory on except her condition at the time he was called in. The woman was nervous and irritable, and when she suggested going to some hospital Dr. Hegnauer seconded the suggestion, thinking a change in her surroundings would have a good effect. She was taken to St. Elizabeth's Hospital Friday morning. She was put under the care of Dr. Hart and during the day grew rapidly worse, the muscles of her legs and arms twitching so that she could not lie still a moment. She became semi-conscious and at 4 o'clock Saturday morning died.

Whether hysteria induced typho-malaria or whether the case was one of genuine hydrophobia seems to be a matter of opinion. The neighbors are convinced that she was bitten by a dog—in fact, they were so certain of it that a black spaniel supposed to be the one that bit her was shot yesterday and its body is now lying in the street almost directly in front of the house where Mrs. Raffal lived.

At No. 188 Blackhawk street there is a scene of desolation. When the woman was taken to the hospiial her boarders all left and the scullery maid, the only servant at the house, fearing that she would get no wages deserted the house, leaving no one but a boy of 12 years, the son of Mrs. Raffal. The boy left also after hearing of his mother's death, and last night the hall door stood open, blown back and forth by the wind, while the rain ran in in torrents. The husband of the dead woman had not lived with her for some years.

The Coroner Will Investigate.

A Coroner's jury will investigate the death of the woman today and if possible learn the cause. A number of witnesses, including the physicians who were in attendance, have been summoned.

At St. Elizabeth's Hospital no definite information concerning the matter could be obtained. A functionary who declared himself to be the house surgeon said:

"Dr. Hart had charge of the case in the absence of the regular attending physician. I decline to say any thing about it and will have to refer you to the Coroner's inquest tomorrow for any information. I do not know where Dr. Hart can be found."

Dr. Nutin Hegnauer of No. 9 Rees street, who attended Mrs. Raffal previous to her removal to St. Elizabeth's, was inclined to scoff at the ide of hydrophobia.

"I had charge of her case for three or four days," he said, "during which time I failed to notice the first symptom of hydrophobia. Had any of the phenomena been present I would have noticed them. The woman died from a low grade of typhoid-fever, a sort of typho-malaria fever it might be called. The first time I was called I was with her from 10 to 1 o'clock noting the features of the case. It was impossible to check the fever. At times her temperature was as high as 104 degrees with extremely rapid pulsations. The sanitary condition of the house and surroundings is such as to conduce to typhoid-fever, and besides that the presence of so many boarders in her house and trouble with her servants kept her excited continually. So when she told me she was going to St. Elizabeth's I applauded the idea, for there she could have perfect rest. She went there, and, as I have heard, died a day or so afterward. I have also heard that four weeks ago Mrs. Raffal was bitten by a dog; but as for hydrophobia, it's nonsense. Did she exhibit any signs of hysteria? Why, she was 46 years old and past the hysteric age. She was excited and weak from domestic worry and illness and died from the effects of the fever. She never mentioned to me even that a dog had bitten her."

Dr. Hegnauer, when called upon by the Coroner yesterday for a certificate of death, referred the official to the hospital authorities, as the case had passed out of his care.

Saloonkeeper Gustav Steinmann at Halsted and Blackhawk streets is the owner of a dog, but denies vigorously that the animal had either hydrophobia or had bitten the unfortunate Mrs. Raffal. If she was bitten in his saloon when she came for a can of beer, upon which point he was not clear, it was a strange dog. He had heard that she died suddenly, but had not heard that death was caused by hydrophobia.

Albert Stetzer, a neighbor of Mrs. Raffal, had heard that she died from the effects of a dog bite, but did not credit the assertion.