The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-07-24
WHOLE NO. 249.
For the North Iowa Times.
Medical JO(lings No. vi.

For the North Iowa Times.
Medical JOltings No. vi.
PAIN This symptom Of disease, is
looked upon, by all, with an interest, not
easily excited by any other sensation, or
emotion we experience, a sense of dread
precedes an expected visit from pain, and
expressions of relief roll glibly off our
tongues, at its departure. Children have .
perfect horror at its presence. Young Ia
dies do not put on their prettiest smiles,
when pain calls on them: Old maids, and
matrons, have been observed to scowl where
pain, was making merry at their expense.
The iron will Of man has been bent and
broken by the repeated and severe attacks
Of pain and nothing can equal it in effec-
tually subduing what spirit Of manliness
we may possess, or in blasting all the hopes
Of youth. 1t overturns all the air castles
we may build; annoys US in the every day
concerns of life, and makes an index in
our countenarces, Of the power it holds
over US. In fact to sum up pain it is all
that in this life makes us miserable, and
comprises all that most of US have to dread
in the world to come. Yet we are told
that it is unphilosophical, to make wry
faces at pain; so while we are unable to
bear it with the indifference of stole, we
are willing to admit that it has its phloso-
ply and its uses. True the sense of pain
beclouds our judgments concerning its U.S..
es. So does the sense of pleasure; that
throws fog around Our reason; and rem
dcrs US unable to discern the bold headland
Of pain, the round of folly and pleasure is
about to cast us on. Pain is the grand
mediator between mind and body-in.
structing the former what should be sought
and what avoided by the latter. Pain is
persuasive at times and at times impera.
tive; rather more imperative than Persua.
sive. Those head achcs--slight pain in
the side, shoulders, or back, are but persuad
ers {; asking US to repair our health which
is becoming undermined. Pain acts i'm
peratively with relutancc; so gentle are its
promptings, that they are often overlook
ed. Hunger and thirst, come on so gra
dually that they may be endured for long
time without suffering, and any uncas,
sensation that waras US Of danger is but {
persuasive hint; but if a portion Of foot
lodges in the wind-pipe or any foreign bod,
is inaictins great bodily injury, pain imper
atively demands removal of the offending
substance and life or limb may be be savet
only by obeying the stern command.
The uses of pain may be variouSly stat
ed. A writer of the London Eclectic di
vides the uses of pain into preventive, Ie
medal and rctributive. Thus as an exam
pie Of preventive use Of pain. A stron;
light causes sufficient pain to the eye t
prevent its destruction. Disgusting odor
; suggest cleanliness, and the pungent o
acid taste Of some poisons prevent thei
use as food and consequent destruction Q
our lives. The loss Of sensation is at time
the cause of fearful calamities. DR.. Car
penter relates the following cass "a Dire
yer went to sleep over n"wly lit lime kiln
| During the night, the part of the brick
work on which one Of his feet rested, b,
came red hot and burned it to 4 cinder, h
having been lured to unconsciousness b
the carbonc acid gas. When he awoke il
the morning Unconscious of the injury h
had received he placed the foot upon tn
ground and it crumbled into fragments
The sense of pain was annihlated, aud cor
scquently there was nothing to prevent tn
occurrence of the injury" Instance
might be multiplied to show that pair
could it have been felt, would have prove
an angel of mercy, sent to prevent disaste
and death. But pain has remedial us
that is important. There is no better cul
ative agent in the world, than pain.
keeps wounded body at rest, till it heals
A broken limb cannot be moved with saG
, ty till it unites and pain the most untirin
, sentinel known, guards against motor
Those who understand the benefits of pal
in this respect will never pray to be rid {
it, in case Of accidents to the body. {
the retributive uses Of pain all are awal
> or become so in the course of their live
The laws Of health cannot be violated i
+, any respect without sooner or later bring
ing the offender to a sense of his ncgle.
or guilt by the punishment pain inAicts.
Pain manifests itself in its most terrib
forms as retributive agent, unrelenting
pursues its victim so long as justice d.
, mands blow to be inflicted or stripe I
be laid on--nor does it stop when tn
, guilty one Is laid in the grave and til
court of death has charge of the offendin
victim. The children of the guilty ma
suffer and even the childrcn's children
cursed by an existence Of sorrow and mise
, ry entailed upon them by the folly and gui
of their progenitors. The unavoidabl
character of hereditary disease is most dis
!, tressing. The retribution is awful. Ou
responsibilities are great, for as Bisho
Butler says: "By prudence and care, "
may for the most part, pass our days, i
tolerable ease and quiet; or on the eontrs
, ry, We may, by rashness, unsoverned pat
i. sion, wilfulncss or even negligence, max
. ourselves as miserable as ever we please
NJ. c. II.
!. ~Lord Campbell said he himss
heard judge at Stafford thus sentence