Storm Kelly ENG 2(8)- FINAL EXAM

I believe that Edgar Allen Poe infact died from rabies. My source I used to come to this conclusion was an artical from the New York Times. The article was called, "Poe's Death Is Rewritten as case of Rabies, Not Telltale Alcohol." My source includes information from researcher, Dr.R. Michael Benitez, and Dr. Henry Wilde.

Dr. Benitez adds, the day after Poe enterd Washington College Hospital he showed signs of sickness. Dr. Benitez says Poe was perspiring heavily, hallucinating, and shouting at imaginary companions. On Poe's fourth day at the hospital, he grew confused then quieted down and died. To the doctor's knowledge, this is a classic case of rabies.

When Poe became calm and he was awake, he refused to drink alcohol, but had difficulty swallowing water. Studies show Rabies victims frequently show hydrophobia, fear of water. When symptoms appear for the disease it is often rapid and brutal and will kill the victims in a few days. Dr. Henry Wilde, who treats rabies at Chulalonglcorn University Hospital says, "Poe had all the features of encephalitic rabies."

Alot of myths on how Poe died will always be among us. Plenty of theories were constructed, for how he died that night. We will never know how this great man died, because of lack of research and facts they had back then. He may have died from rabies, or from drinking himself to death as true writers like to end their lives. I srtongly believe though he contracted rabies from the dirty streets they had, and not having a vaccine for the disease. One thing I do know for sure, is, we'll never know the cause of his death, because he left no trail or no clues. Perhaps this is just one last story he wrote that he wanted the whole world to make up their own ending to. That is indeed a true Poe story.