South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-08-29
John Randolph.
LAST MOMENTS OF JOHN RAN
DOLPH OF ROANOKE.

Richmond Enquirer, the deposition OF LIZ
Parrish, respecting the last moments OF
John Randolph of Roanoke, given at the
late investigation at Richmond.
"Joseph Parrish, of the city Of Phil.
adelphia, Doctor of Medicine, aged
fifiy.fve or thereabouts, being produ.
ced, affirmed and examined on behalf
of William Meade, named in the en-
nexed commission, deposeth as fol.
lows: That being legally required to
make deposition relative to John
Randolph of Roanoke, | hereby state
my recoilections of such incidents as
consider calculated TO show the state oil
bis mind during the period ofmy med.
ical attendance.
"John Randolph died under my me-
dical care on the morning Of the fifth
month (May) twenty fourth, eighteen
hundred and thirty-ihree, at one quar-
ter before twelve o'clock. He breath
ed his last in chamber Of the City
Hotel, No. Al, North Third street. |
was present at his departure, closed
his eyes and placed his limbs in a de-
cent position. / vas called to visit him
on the twentieth Of said month by Ed
mund Badger, one Of the proprietors
Of the City Hotel. 1t was a stormy
night--the patIen. had arrived that at
ternoon in the steamboat from Balti-
more. He was bound for Europe, and
had been disappointed in getting on
board the packer. He soon Informed
me he was acquainted with me by
character know you ,hro' Giles, I"
-alluding, I presume, to William B.
Giles, late Governor Of Virginia, res
pecting whose case was repeatedly
consulted. The patient appeared much
disturbed, on account Of some Difficult.
ties he had encountered after leaving
the steamboat. II was evident he was
extremely i'll: bis debility was such,
that it was with great difficulty he
could expectorate, which caused much
distress ia respiration. He appeared
fully aware of his danger; told me he
had attended several courses of lec-
lures on Anatomy ;-described his
symptoms with medical accuracy, de-
claring he must die if he could not dis
charge the puriform matter. On en-
quiring how long he had been sick, he
replied. "Don't ask me that question;
| have been sick all my lile."-He
soon told, however, that he had been
affected for three years with his press
ent disease, which had been greatly ag.
graya,ed by his voyage to Russia =
"this had killed him." On feeling his
pulse, he said, "You can form no judg-
menl from my pulse; i. is so peculiar"
| soon perceived, that TO manage the
case before me would be like steering
haiwaan Scylla and Charybdis, and
concluded to proceed by cautious SCUM
ding, rather than advance under full
sail.
"Itold him he had been so long an
invalid he must have acquired an accu.
rate knowledge of the general course
of practice adapted 10 his case. He
replied, "Certainly, at forty fool or
physician, you know" remarked
there were idiosyncracies 10 many con-
situations, and wished to ascertain what
was peculiar about him. He said, |
have been an idiosyncracy all my life.
This appeared truly most trite and
correct view Of the subject, although
the querist did not consider il necessary
to give concurring reply.-He inform,
ed me that all the preparations of
camphor invariably injured hin, and
as to ether, "it would blow me up"
Not so Of opium and its preparations |;
for soon discovered be was accustom.
ed to the free use OF this drug in some
form or other. On one occasion he
told me that he either did or could Il
am not clear as to the words did or
could take opium like Turk but !
certainly received from him the i'm
preston, that he was in the habitual
use ofopium in some shape or other.
His conversation was curiously diver
sihed, and he complained with no small
asperiiy of the difficulties he encoun-
tered after leaving the steamboat. He
was put into a wretched hack--ihe
glass OF the carriage was broken--he
had been obliged to go from the Hotel
to another in search Of lodgings, expo
sed 20 the peliings of the storm, land
every thing was in state OF discom-
fort. HE soon introduced the subject
of the Qaakers, complimenting US in
his peculiar manner for neatness, econ
.omy, order, comfort in every thing,
right in every thing excep, politics