cutler-letters_joseph-torrey_1810-02-16_02

2-6th--Was it a large or a small wound?
A--A very small wound, resembling the [illegible] scratch
of a pin, about 3/4 of an inch in length. The puppy
was near his bed when he was getting up in the
morning and attempting to push him away the puppy
bit him. He then put him out at the door, and after
running a few rods he fell down and died.

2-7th--Was any thing done for him before the symptoms of
his disease appeared?
A--Nothing. The day, before, two of his children were bitten,
and the wounds were so large and so bad he sent for the
Doctor who applied something to the wounds, and the
children never had any symptoms of the disease.
The Doctor advised my son to have the same
remedy applied to his wound, but being so very small
he refused.

2-8th--What were his complaints when the disease came on?
A--A violent headache and symptoms of fever for 3 days,
which was followed by a sullen dumbness lasting
5 days, in which he neither eat, drink or [spake?].
At times he would make a most distresing noise,
at first resembling that of a puppy, & then louder,
like the barking and howling of a dog, which could
be heard at a great distance--perhaps a mile.

2-9th--How long was it before the symptoms of the disease
began to appear?
A--About eight months.

2-10th--How long after the symptoms came on before he took
the Indian Tobacco?
A--About 14 days.

2-11th--In what form was the plant given, or how was
it prepared?--How much did he take at a time
of the preparation, and how often?
A--Half a dozen sprigs were put into a quart of
boiling water in which it was steeped until the
water became cool. The portion was 2 table
spoonfull at a time.

2-12th--What were the effects which followered on taking
the plant?--Did it [?puke?] him?
A--Two table spoonfull generally operated about
twice as a [?puke?] and then about twice as a purge.
As soon as the operation was over, the same
quantity was taken again, and this course was
continued
continued for three days; at which time large
blotches began to appear on his breast. He then
began to be rational, but he continued to take the
same tea for about 4 weeks, but not so often after
he began to mend.

2-13th--How long before his health was restored?
A--His health was apparently restored in about 8 weeks.

2-14th--Has he had any symptoms of the disease since?
A--He has had some esymptoms of it [illegible] since, but
is now in good health

2-15th--How did you obtain the information-that the
Indian Tobacco would cure this disease?
A--The Doctor who prescribed this medicine was from
Europe. He told me if the same herb was jambed
or bruised and bound upon the wound or soon as
bitten, it would extract the poison and prevent any
further trouble.

In making this enquiry by better, it appeared to
me necessary to endeavour to obtain a detailed account, which
might tend to strengthen the evidence of the fact we wish
to ascertain. Perhaps I have omitted some questions which
ought to have been stated, but the answers to these are clearer
and fuller than I expected, and I think are satisfactory. The letter
was sent to me by W. Josiah Patch, formerly our neighbour,
and who now is a new neighbour to W. Herrich. He says W.
Herrich gave him a very long and circumstantial account of the
case and desired [himself?] now, that he might [answer?] questions
I might after, left the account should not be so full as [I?]might
desire. Some few circumstances are added to some of the questions
which I received from W. Patch. I desired to know whether
it was ye same Doctor who applied something to the wounds or
the children that recommended the Indian Tobacco--What that
application was and the name and character of the Doctor, but he could
not inform me. The old Gentleman was not with his son
at the time the children were bitten.

If you think proper, you will communicate
this letter to the medical Gentlemen & the medical Society at Salem.
I have forward this account to Dr. Thacher, who is publishing ye American [?Dispen?]-
[satory?].

Yours very affectionately
M Cutler