“She had a great fear of mice ever since her childhood.”

Musophobia claimed a young victim in New Jersey, according to an article in the November 23, 1908 New York Times. The story:

“Florence, N.J.--The sight of a tiny mouse which the family cat had caught in her home to-day frightened Miss Mary Isabel Mead to death. She had a great fear of mice ever since her childhood, and so great was her terror that she became ill, and died in a few moments.

Miss Mead had been playing the piano. Her mother, in the kitchen, had noticed that a mouse which had crawled out of its hole, was nibbling at edibles she had stored in the pantry. She immediately called the cat and put him ‘on the job.’ The cat scampered after the rodent and caught the mouse in its mouth. Then it began, pussy-like, to play with it. At this stage Miss Mead entered the kitchen, gayly humming a tune which she had been playing. Sitting down, she glanced under the table where the cat was still teasing the mouse before killing it. The girl’s mother, remembering her fears, tried to warn her, but was too late. With a shriek Miss Mead started up. Then, apparently losing control of her voice, she began trembling with fear. The mother carried her to a sofa and drove the cat out of sight.

In a few moments the girl complained to her mother of a pain in her heart. When Mrs. Mead returned from the medicine chest, where she had gone in the hope of getting something to relieve her, the daughter was dead. Mrs. Mead summoned a physician. He declared that the girl had died of fright. Valvular heart trouble caused by the sight of the mouse ended her life.

‘The girl was actually scared to death,’ said the physician. ‘Living, as she did, in mortal fear of mice, it is not strange that the sight of the creature in the cat’s mouth so terrified her. Her heart gave way under the incredible strain.’

Miss Mead was prominent in the social activities of the town.”