Sophia E. Thomas

Sophia E. Thomas, 17, weaver, rescued Eva Gregory, 13, from a rabid dog, Newry, South Carolina, June 18, 1912. Eva spoke to a passing dog, and as she stooped to get a pebble to throw into a stream, the dog sprang at her and fastened its teeth in her jaw. Sophia, one of three other girls present, grabbed the dog’s throat with both hands and pulled it away from Eva. Sophia fell with the dog and retained her hold on it, although it bit her arm three times. Her sister helped her to hold it on the ground until a man arrived with a stone and told her to release the dog. It was shot a moment later and on examination was found to have been afflicted with rabies. Sophia and Eva were given Pasteur treatment and recovered from their wounds.