New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-25
THE WATER-CURE INQUEST
DR. sCHIEFERDECKER AND HIS ACCUsERs.

tablishment a coroper's inqu q. was held, and the
magistrate after some he tation. held mo to hail 10
owst the future action Of the who procured the
inquest. That action have been awaiting, so that
pieht have an orportuuity Of placing the facts, so
strangely distor ID the inquest before the puoo Ill
court OF justcc But action has oeen taken, anu
rs an injury to my place and practice seems 10 haNo
been the only object in view, deem II only lus''o
myself-ndeed my friends insist on IL hO"-'nS' Poo
tbe facts before the public
Dur,ns the past season a person called at my ace
four or ye times and under the false preense that his
daughter was suffering severely from hJstera, rheuma
ts and overdrugging with stychnine, Induced me 10
take her in -. rule Of my establishment, which IL
not hospital simply house for the hygenc and ny
dropathc treatment ladies and gentlemen who are su
ferng from disease is that all patients who are helpless
from their troubles must have their own private nurse
In this case the provided small girl OF some
twelve Summers whom tolerated out OF sympathy for
The family their economies. and soon became inter
ested in the patient her almost daily treated her.
and she began 10 mend and improve from day
day. The father and sister came from
time TO time and expressed their SATISFACTION,
though N they were satisfied or lndlnerent'
or their part of the effort to deceive me-
cannot tell thought her a dreadfully neglected
woman The DAYS went on until about the 10Th, when.
on entering roOm the poor girl 50 long paraBzed
exclaimed while she sat prOpped up in her bed Sec
doctor. write: have written this note"
had, Of course, from the beginning questioned her
questions asked If she had any her person She
sad emphaticalY "NO and in that direction Of course
could 60 further but she was deceivrg me. prob
ably from fear that If knew all, would send her
awav asked her II were well cared for, and she
always SAID Eyes" and expressed bersef In that
pleased kind, devoted way that made her seem to be
one Of the most friendly patients ever had-said,
"Thnk only, l much better can WRITE" aud
from time TO time. How kind every one is HOW
much better am" Her friends said the same. except
Der mother who not OyeTgentle, and would not
Acknowledge that the daughter had been I'll worth men,
toning at any Toward the latter part Of the three
weeks, which is the whole time she was under my
charge my housekeeper Informed me, extra Sheets
towels plOw-cases etc, were called Tor, ana dlsap
peared. while similar things disappeared from the
ncicnborinc rooms The housekeeper supplied them,
bu, wondered what II meant There was closet and
small bathroom attached 10 her apartment, which the
housekeeper wished TO open aud see that 1t was IN
order but 1t was always kept locked, and various ex
offered by the patient for not opening H. ana sti
the linen disappeared
Here should mention that at the German University.
towards the end OF my course through the excitement
of hot and youthful blood was engaged in several
ducls receiving severe wounds
We'll, when this patient had been under my roof some
seventeen days, began to feel troubled, from the
effects Of those old wounds, and other symptoms OF Ill
ness connected with overwork &c. and was much con-
fined 10 my couch and Office. About TINS time was
informed by Of the bath report to me
about patients twice thCfe very
looking sores certain parts Of the patients body.
From the description became alarmed, and felt con-
WINGED then Of what had suspected, that they had
attempted to deceive from the beginning. at once
called my consulting surgeon, DR.. Jonn c. Minor OF
this city, and requested him to examine the patient.
This was done, and also leaving my couch with some
difficulty did the same. My worst fears were con-
Grmod. She had abes dorSas (of which further on;
also my friend German physician, 10 ST. Lukes
Hospital and learned there that the patient had been
twice under their care, the second time discharged
rs ian incurabe," but no diagnosis at all could
he obtain 1 at once wrote to the father. with
natural indignation at the way In which had been
deceived, and demanded the prompt removal OF the
patient, SAYING also For Gods sake get her proper
nurse ana take her away; can do nothing" The MIS-
take made as the selfish seqIel VIII snow was III MOI
10 The Roosevelt Hospital, but my sympathes had be-
excited, and biased my Judgment; wrote again
and again the father five times in all, from my SICK
rOom which could no, leave ana declined peTempto-
rilc acting further in the OF course nothing was
said 10 the patient. ana food, attendance, and kindness
offered as before. No attention paid to me- nor au-
came and, without seeing me. installed themselves in
my house. They also brought young doctor to take
days later Lealc. He took entire charge OF the
patient a. physician came daly somtes t%1GS gay
without consulting win me, TO know me Palens stae.
what he Was treating aud was pToDaoy aecGlVSd by
morally. from physical suffering, and let pass aud SO
AT three weeks cud closed my connection with tue
Ia, "o aro 90 ~ ranco =, hen tbcv bod bean re-
friend Inc German payslclan my self ana Dr.. Minor
all united in saying the patent could have been re-
viii here observe that all my patients have fresh
tOwels. Of course, daily and fresh bed men twice
week that all furnish. Lnen of every kind, and
sheets for packs, cOmpresea sores etc. etc. are in all
cases furnished Dy the patient himself. az allow no
lncn used indl~c rinnaely IN diseases. matter
how well is washed Each must furnish MS own, and
all that he requires.
Vel. this DOCTOR there by my courtesy toler
reported by ny guests, housekceper and
30 onas sneering at eyeIytnins especially at water
rs Ia a
this" Cook that" and went on with his treatment,
which, with hls food for tue poor girl. was mostly
onions! alcoholic drinks! aud drugs! Now comes the
be nor. at least 10 the public, of tins Strange StoryI
The patient under this curious treatment soon sank into
comatOse state AM could no longer mold up her fingers
keep that closet locked 1t opened at last by
inyGiuntari cxcretlOns and though when | asked her
kent concealed and with fear probably that the extent
OF her illness might discovered. aud she be
ness which onNironed her, all the linen, sheets,
pOwcasts towels etc. that could be obtained from the
house. taken from the neighbOriDg by their
cuid uuTse, who otherwise honest, used,
nisused secreted in this closet aud locked up II was
dreadful enough OF nth when discovered and
more surprise aud annoyance 10 me- OF course, than
tins young DOCTOR with bis strange treatment OF a6es
dorsais was now on his mettle full of Indignation run
mad-eatne to my Office where l. old, half WORKOUT
man. on my couch, was i'll and helpess-cane without
respect courtesy anxious not TO learn the TRUTH for
n he lost bls patient here good scapegoat /
tried, feeble as was, 10 check him and explain
IKE gentlemen" he cried, mo! could
your house long ago Ihls is not case for watercure
would never employ water under such circumstances
been in Europe and know all about ~ shah
furnish hy sheets day II necessary and YOU won't,
Heath; 1 Will have d blackboard nailed across Jour
door" l cred For Gods sake. don't Kill me, DR..
Leale, am sick"
We'll. the poor girl died-must die. She vas lin
durable, and with disease ont OF mans reach II her
IL