The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-10-23
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TALES OF THE SOUTH.
NY A SOUTHERN MAN,


CURED ny sTRTAGrM,--A FACT.
have an acquaintance, planter Of great
wealth, who 10 unfortunately addicted 20 To-
temperance, lle does not drink babtually,
day by day, but periodically and by spells.
Sometimes he will remain perfectly sober for
monthAI attending with great. -asstrfuity 10
business, Of which, in the planting line, he
ia a complete master Then overcome by the
demon Of drink, he takes what he calls q spree
which il drunken dobnuch, continued not
unfrequently for several weeks, aud leaving
lhm PROSTATE both in mind and body.
A constitution Of great ygor and active
business habits, enabled him TO bear this al
formation of sobiety aud debauch with com
parAiive impunity for years. Atlength how
ever, symptoms Of the usual cunoomtants Of
prolonged drinking began to show themselves
towards the close Of his more proQactrd
fesels. DeityiHH' frrmeHs, with its nervous
horrors aud mental alterations would super
vcne aud pass OIL under the regimen Of abst-
ncnce from drink and a pretty free indul-
gcnoe IN the luSuries Of the table But the
warning was not needed The usual oour,s
Of life vas continued, aud brought on friglh-
tul attacts Of mdHia a potu, as the finale OF
every dcbauch.
One day. during an unusually prolonged
spell of drinking, he sent in great haste for
I
Dr. A., most sensiblo man. and well skilled
both in the theory aud the practice Of his
profession, was soon by the bedside Of the
invalid. TO his rractised eye, the wander
ing glance, the nervous agitation, and the
flushed face Of the patient, revealed at once
the nature of his malady. 1t was a severe fit
Of mania a pOfu. -
"Well, colonel" said the doctor, in the
bland tone and conciliatng manner which
characterize him ns n man and make him so
dcscrycdlS a layorite In The Aick chamber.
"you sce | have obeyed your summons, and
COME quickly How do YOU do to-day ?"
"Ah! doctor" replied the invalid II am
glad TO see YOU. Sit down and listen, and
see If you cannot hear what is the matter with
me p"
"Why, colonel" said the physician, with a
somcN hat surprised look, "you mistake the
method by which We doctors find out what
is the matter with our patients. We feel the
/ pulse, took at the tongue, and in that aud
othcr ways, Try to discover the nature Of their
acomplaints But to listen and detect disease
| 10y the hearing is altogether "A novel mode of
/ practice. Let me feel your pulse, colonel"
NO! no! that is not worth while. Ny
/ disease is here placing his hand on nis head.
My brain - almost bursting with pains aud
noise. You will not, l fear, believe me, doc
tor" cohigped the invalid. darting at the
I same time, an inquisitiye, anxious look at the
/ physician "but tell you il is a real fact, my
/ hedd is choek fuH of hile niggers"
] The doctor was startled. lie looked for a
moment earnestly in the face OF his patient,
aud saw, from the fixed aud Grnre c1preazinn
I OF the countenance, that the Invalid had full
| faith in the reality of the revelation he had
/ just made, The doctor attempted to dssi-
pate the allHson by playful banter and anus
] ing anccdoie. -
You must be mistaken, colonel he CON
/ tlnucd YOU have plenty Of brains, but no
,nggerS, | am sure in your head. How came
/ you to take up such an idle notion ?"
~ ut is no Idle notion, sir, at all and l am
not mistaken" returted the invalid, in a
somev hat angry tone of voice. Cant
hear little rascals squalling like noisy kitch-
en- brnts, aud don't feel them kicking the
inside of my head, as il they were irving 10
get out Mistaken, indeed, sir It is you
that are mistaken, aud | heg of YOU, for
mcrcy's sake, TO do something, and do il
qIick, to relieve me, or | shall die. Oh
heaven, my head will burst !" cried the patient
most pi,eouSly, graspng his head with both
his hands, and turning II rapidly from side to
side. -
The doctor saw that all that could no done
at present was to subduc, if possible, the ner-
vous cxaitation under which the patient was
! laborng, and thus bring back his wandering
reason To realizing sense Of the absurdity
of his mental hallucination. Administer ing
some gentle medicines for that purpose, and
promising TO call again in few hours, nc dc.
parted.
| Long before the hour fixed in his owr
mind for his call, messenger came from
his patient, begging his immediate return
The paroxysm of the attack had frightfullS
increased. and it was apprehended by his at
fhaf1 nr f-Nt t,le IN,
mode, might ensue, unless the bodily anC
mental perturbation could be spec lilly quiet
ed.
The doctor obeyed the summons at once
On entering the room he found that there
was very good ground for serious apprehor
sion, and, indeed, alarm, at the condition of
the patient. The extravaSation of the blooC
consequent upon Il superintendent flow TO tn,
brain and face, and the violent blows inhictet
by the palm or clcnched fist of the patien
himself, had produced u discoloration in tn,
countenance frightful to look upon. Th
features were almost livid in hue. The pulls
ragged in volume and tenson beyond the high
est fover dpgroo. The breathing -Fapi,
the chest heaved, the hands beat the heat
E, with repeated and violent conclusion, an,
the calls for delversncc from his imaginar
tormentors we're loud and most piteous L
hear. ...r.
As soon as the patient saw the doctor h
' cried out
"Oh, dear doctor for goodness sake d.
something for mel These little niggers hav
all gone mad in my BRAN, and keep up sucl
n fuss and scratching and kicking that shal
- go crazy, or die outright, if you don't get
) them out, and that very SOON Don't yo,
hear them, doctorP Just put your hand here
, and feel how they shake my skull"
The doctor placed his hand upeu the fore
head OF the invalid as he was hidden. 1t wa
/ burning hot, and the temples throbbed will
the bounding currents of blood shot through
D the veinslby the violence of the mental ngita
8 ton. 0erebra. extravasation. and fatal as
= phyxia were imminent. Immediate ant
, copious depletion; by topical venesecton, re
c lieved the apoplectio symptoms, but lea th
5 disorder of the mind raging us fercely a
!, ever. Something must be done 20 romov
4 TINT or the bodily derangonent would aoai