Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-05-01
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Interesting .!cts4rs Of ts Illness ire's Ara. tTea'


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interesting !et;4r. Of an Illness iree Sire. crea''
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The Philadelphia Bulletin publishes en- interesting
letter from Mrs. Crawford to gentleman OF tha'
city, giving detailed account Of the illness and pre-
sent condition Of her distinguished husband. we
make some extracts from it:
1t is very nearly Year since eight protrusIon oil
the ball of the left eye began TO attract my attention
but it was attributed by him to cold-to which b.
had often been subject; also TO reading much ano
late at night in reclining position, aud always on
| the left side This wac iu April last | then Tell
ROME for the United States, where he j,ned me III
the month of July. On meeting him after an inter
val oil four months, Instantly perceived that the
out"a ard pressure OF the eye had greatly ncress7d
| amounting to sght Disagreement. You. OF coursa
although you met him about this time, would not
have been likely to detect il, not being familiar win
every feature. In the course of few weeks he him.
self was startled by seeing all objects doubled This
fact he became aware Of for the irst time on lying
down one night in his usual posture for reading, and
finding interllnng lines on opening his book The
true focus of the eyes lost by the distention OF
the one diseased. He rnost unwilling TO give the
slightest attention consideration TO this trouble
always deludDg himself with the hope that and
quiet would restore the sight to its original integrity
In October Mr.. Crawford crossed the ocean las you
already know The suffering in the eye steadily i'll
creasing aud accompanied by nervous lIrsdache.-
| On reaching Parls hs was recommended to consult
| NJ. Desmarres, an occuls, OF distinction here, who
decided that tumor of some kind was gradually
| forming behind the eye and causing the protruson;
prescribed medicines both for internal and external
use, aud, / believe, urged Mr.. Crawford to remain
here until the tumor should either yeld To the intu'
of this treatment or be matured for operation
He could not recognize the necessity Tor remaining,
but made his journey to Rome aud plunged at once
into his artist life there, making use of VI. Desmsr
res remedies only at intervals The effect of these
and his abors united was to increase greatly the dis.
tress n the head and the eye while tho latter became
still more distorted. physician then called in
to remove, if possible, the headaches, in which he
was unsuccessful. They continued undated.
On the lst Of December, DR.. Gibson, of your city,
arriving in Rome with letters Of introduction and d
reputation OF some skill as surgeon, Mr.. G.. ia
duccd 10 invite him 10 consult with his attending ply
stefan. The result was proposition from DR.. Glib.
son to make an exploring operation on the following
day, and ascertain, possible the nsture, size, etc
of the tumor. copy DR.. Gibsona own account Of
the operation sent 10 my sncle, DR.. Francis, Of New
York:
~ performed, Il few days ago, a slight operation
upon Crawford, for the purpose Of ascertainng the
character of tumor situated in the orbit of the left
eye and which has caused prorusion of the ball
half FL inch beyond the surface OF the right eye.
had hoped to find sack containing fluid, but moth
ing Of the kind appeared, although penetrated into
the orbit to the depth Of inch and half above the
ball, aud also through the conjuncivn between the
ball aud the caruncua lachrymalls to the same e1.
tent The only tumor could find, or rather feel as
projecting one from the orbltar plate, near the
cethnod bone, about the size and shape of the end
OF a qnil and between quarter End half an inch
long. Upon making IN incsion into il | found it
carsginous but could not trace it behind the sye-
confess that with all my experience, l fud it very
difficult TO form diagnosis of the disease, and am
very unwilling TO believe tina; it may turn out malig
nont"
From the sad consequences Of this unfortunate ex.
poraton Mr.. Crawford never recovered the eye be-
coming more and more displaced. The steady pres.
sure from behind by degrees dinming the sight-the
eye.lid hckening-constant nausea and sickness, 60
that food Of scarce any kind was retained, and final
ly frequent attacks Of partial and temporary paray
sis of the right side were all symptoms which fol-
lowed rapidly after Dr.. Gibsons two incisions. In
this condition consultation held by all the mort
eminent physicians in Rome, the result of which
that Mr.. Crawford was ordered TO PARIS. 1t quite
true that the frequent attacks Of paralysis made il
doubtful whether he would ever reach Paris, and
gave rise 10 the report aud newspaper paragraph Of
which you speak in your letter. lie did, however,
arrive here with little Inconvenience and suffering
even gaining strength and appetite. At DION he
had his only paralysis, which, although very severe,
passed Of, and left him quite comfortable again
Here he saw Dir. Nelaton in whore hands he placed
himself together with Sichel, the oeBst, and Vel.
peau, another surgeon. Mr.. G. had come hther full
Of confidence that these men OF SO great reputation
would perform the proper operation, and In q few
weeks he should be- himself again, end in his studio.
eau scarcely describe to you the disappointment it
WAS TO him TO know that none could DO effected -
They did not tell him, they told ne that to the
knife were worse than daring, and the consequence.
of tn operation would be fatal in less than week.
Nevertheless he was forewarned That Inc cure would
be extremely slow, and dependent upon tho applca.
ton of certain ointnents, the administration OF
rious medicines.
The tumor is believed aud pronounced by all who
have been consulted in this matter land their mans is
legon,) ~ he generous, To be alru intimately adhe-
rent and even oon;ounted i'm the Internal and up.
per portion Of the left Oro II eItehda deep into the
orbit, and has, before noticed, GiJplacad The eye
IN n manner most pronounce. Judging from the par.
tial attacks OF paralysis Is supposed even to have
so far eucrosched within the skull that il upon
the brain. Mr. Nelaton from whose written opinion
have translated the foregoing, adds that in this
state an operation would lie no, only more than dar.
ing but inexcu-ab- III ola eyes aud in those OF all
men of science and experience. He consdered the
case hopeless from the beginning but ihuks that thu
mslady may run on through many neutrality-suspicious.
a wear For short time sitter the making use OF pre-
scribed medicines, Mr. G. seemed somewhat benefit
ted but iong, they were found TO increase the Ian
c;pa,pc burning palms. and when joined him nearly
two months ago, they 1.-THE medicines) had been
abandoned. They have again, howeve-, been attempt.
ed but experience has taught me tia; all external up
ulcations do but torture the patient, without produc.
good result came 10 hltn strong IN courage
and full of hope, ami. 6aspte Mr.. Nelaton's con
scientousy expressed opinon", believed for awhile
tina, tender nursing, combined with rigorous a
constitution, would overcome the evil. Certainly
the worst symptoms did for awhile disappear but
ONLY 70 return again with full force. Nelaun graz
duaIly fell away IN his number of visits. and Iinsy
ceased coming at all. II. confessed himself too
much panied, ia thus Waiting al lucurnbe case, and
under such circumstance, Ge suffered the whole a.
fair to glide into the hands OF all eleve Of hs, NJ Bsy
lard-a Philadelphian, b.liere-who is most faith
fu in his care, and who does not hesitate 10 GEEK adj
vice from older and other physicians en necessary
Two weeks ego every avenue aud door OF hope
seemed closed against All the most uniavoraol5
symptoms required so frequently, tina, to LOOK for
ward to happy termination, they bade rae believe
was madness and wilfulness my part. And ye-
since them the desr patient invalid has again rallied
enjoying returning appetite. loug refreshing sleeps
freedom from pain, &c. Very truly yours,
LouIsA w. CRAWFORD.
THURSDAY MoRsISo, April 9th.-I add few
words at the last moment, that you may have thus
the very latest news Of MIR. Crawford, which this
Saturdays steamer can carry. lie has had sue
cesson Of comfortable days, and. this morning bet.
ter than he has been during tbs three or four past
ones. 4 quiet rest refreshing awakening. end an
arisng without sickness or discomfort OF any khd,
have combined to make him feel brighier-perhaps
more encouraged lie ia at ;hs present moment
having finished his breakfast, extended on chase
iongue-where he passes many waxing hours, ana
some sleeping oues too. He bids me- say that he
hopes you are perfectly we'll, and that he .hh ire
quently hear from you. u w. Y.
For the Enquirer.
AMELIA COUNTY.
The Democrats of Amelia county are requested 10
meet at their Court House. on Saturday, the 9th day
Mac 70 dol. fo a.