A Dog’s Second Victim

Mrs. James Strethie Dies Of Hydrophobia

Her Son, Who Was Bitten by the Same Dog Which Bit Her, Died Three Weeks Ago-Mrs. Strethie Died on Saturday

The hydrophobia case at the Highlands resulting from bites from a mad dog belonging to Robert Hartshorne has claimed another victim, the second one being Mrs. James Strethie, mother of the boy who died from that disease three weeks ago. Mrs. Strethie’s death occurred on Saturday night. It was attended by all the symptoms that developed in the case of her son, but was accompanied by more violent spasms and correspondingly greater suffering.

Mrs. Strethie was taken sick on Monday of last week, the development and progress of the disease in her case being the same as in the case of her son. The boy first complained of pains in the arm. Pains in the arm were the first symptoms in Mrs. Strethie’s case. From the moment that she felt these pains on Monday she was convinced that she had to die and she was resigned to her fate. Everything possible was done for her. Dr. Kimball of Seabright, who since the boy’s death had been administering the Pasteur treatment to the other members of the Strethie family who were bitten, was the attending physician. Two daughters, who are nurses in a Philadelphia hospital, came home to care for their mother. Excepting when in a spasm she was entirely rational, and she possessed her usual strength of body. Twenty minutes before the spasm occurred in which she died she was walking about the house. Her spasms were very violent and were attended with great suffering. She was sick six days, a day longer than her son.

Mrs. Strethie was 55 years old. A husband and four children survive her. Her husband has charge of Robert Hartshorne’s farm at the Highlands. The funeral was held at the house yesterday and the body was buried in All Saints’ cemetery at Locust Point. Her grave is alongside that of her son.

Seven other persons were bitten by the same dog that bit Mrs. Strethie and her son. Two of these are daughters of Mrs. Strethie, who live at home. The others are Lewis Hower and William Card of Navesink and three workmen who left the Strethie place soon after they were bitten. All were bitten on the fingers while playing with the dog and the two that have died were bitten no worse than the others. All the others have taken the Pasteur treatment. Mrs. Strethie also took the treatment and the last injection of the serum was given her the Sunday before she was taken sick. The alarm that was felt after the boy’s death by those bitten by the dog has been increased by the death of Mrs. Strethie.

Source: Red Bank Register, Wednesday, August 22, 1900