Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-03-07
RANDOLPH OF ROANOKE.


of Distinguished American Statesmen,
published by him in 1916. The extrac
gives the particulars Of the death of Johr
Randolph Of Roanoke. anu was furnished
Mr.. Brown by DR.. Joseph Parrish o
Philadelphia. who was the physician O
Randolph. The following is the extract
in question:
John Randolph died under my medical
care. on the morning of the fifth month
(May), twcnty-fourtb, eighteen hundred
and thirty-thrce, at one-quar,er before
twelve o'clock He breathed his last in a
chamber Of the City Hotel. No Ar North
Third street. | was present Mt his depar-
ture, closed his eyes, and placed his limbs
in decent position. | was called to vi.i,
him on the twentieth Of said month, BY
Edmund Badger. one Of the proprictors oI
the City Hotel. II was Il stormy night
the patient had arrived that afternoon in
( the steamboat from Baltimore Fc was
bound for Europe, and had been disap-
pointed in getting OF board the packet
lie soon Informed me he was acquain-
ted with my character. II knew you
through Giles" alluding. presume, to
William B. Giles, late Governor of Vir-
ginia respecting whose case was repeat
edly consulted
The patient appeared more disturbed on
account ofsome difficulties he had cncoun.
tered after leaving the steamboat i,
was evident he was extremely i'll; his
debility was such that il was with great
difficulty hc could expectorate. which caus-
cd much distress in respiration. He ap-
pcarcd to he fully aware Of his danger
told ine he had attended several courses OF
lectures on anatomy-dcscribci his symp-
toms with medical accuracy, declaring he
must die if he could not discharge the
puriform matter.
On inquirinc how long he hal been sick
he replied: Don't ak me that question
Il have been sick all my life" He soon
told me. however, that he hal been affect
ed for three years with his present disease,
which had been greatly aggravated by
his voyage to Russia-ths had killed him
On tcclin. his pulse he said: You can
form no judgment by my pulse, it is 50
peculiar"
soon perceived that to manage the case
before me would BE- like steering between
Scylla and Charyhdis, and concluded by
cautious surroundings rather than advance
under full sail told him he had been
so long an invalid he must have acquired
an accurate knowledge Of the general course
of practice adapted TO his case. He re-
piled: Certainly; at Forty fool or a
physician. you know" remarked there
wcrc idinsyncrasics in many constitutions
and wished to ascertain what was peculiar
about him. lie said: II have been an
ilio>yucrnsy MI my life" This appeared
truly most trjtc and correct view Of the
subject, although the qucrist did not con-
sider il necessary to give concurring re-
ply Hc nfurmed me that all the rrepar.
atiors OF camphor invariably injured him
and as to ether, i: wouid blow him up
Not So Of opium and It's preparations. for
soon discovered he was accustomed to the
/ free use of the drug in some form or OF her
On one OCCASION he told me that he either
did or could take opium like Turk.
His conversation was curiously diversi-
I fed. and he complained with no small as
rcritv of the difficulties he encountered af.
ter leaving the steamboat He was PM
I irto 4 wrctchcd hack the glass Of the car
riagc was broken; he had been obi gcd tC
60 from ono hotel TO another in search o.
lodgings, exposed 10 the pcltings of the
storm. and everything was in n state o
discomfort He soon introduced the sub
jcct Of the Quakers. comrlimcnting US il
his peculiar manner. for neatncss. economy.
order. comfort in every thing except in
pol,ir.-thcrc always twistical." Before
retired. he repeated portion Of the Lii
tany of the Episcopal Church with apparent
fervor
The following morning he sent for me ear
". was called from bed. He apollo
gizcd handsomely for disturbing me; and
from this period, We appeared mutually to
enter into our new acquaintance in the ca
pacity Of patient aud physician. After
considerable experience in sick chambers
and at death beds. | never met with q
character SO perfectly original and unique.
One evening proposed medical con-
sutldtNU. ISaNinS ttic ktiuiCc w niutstIi
with an assurance Of entire confidence in
his medical attendant. he promptly object,
ed to the proposal, with the remark: ''lu
multitude of counsel there is confusion i,
leads to weakness and indecisiOn: the pa.
ticnt may die while the doctors are star.
/ ing at each other"
| II seemed that if his disposition to crit.
else on the pronunciation Of words could not
be restrained under any circumstances o
! bodily suffering or immediate danger o'
death The slightest deviation from hi:
standard Of proprie,y must be met ana
corrc ctci.
The nigh, preceding his death passet
about two hours in his chamber. He tolt
me in rlaiutive tone that his poor John wa
worn down by fatigue and compelled to z,
TO bed. A mos. attentive substitute sup
piled bis place, bat neither he nor / wer,
like JOAN. The patient was greatly dis
trsscd in breathing. in consequence O
dificult expcctoration. and requested m,
at Iay next visit TO bring instruments f.
: performing the operation of hrorchosomy
for he could not live unless relieved; yet
[, in the same interview. he directed a Ger
! tain newspaper bronsh; to him. II Va
found after a difficult search. lie put OF