The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-09-16
CLARA MoRR1s's MISERY
UNDER THE TREATMENT TO WHICH
SUMNER SUBMITTED.

SUMNER SUBMITTED.
/ THE FLESH BUREED WITH IRONS HEATED
TO WHITE HEAT-THE PATIENTS RARE
| NERVE.
| The many ardent admirers of Clara Morris
will heartily sympathise with and at the
same time admire her display of nerve upon
reading the subjoined from the Baltimore
American: 1t was known that Clara Morris
suffered much before leaving for Europe,
| and even during her last series of perform
ances many times she was carried fsintiDg
from the stage, and recovered only by the
strength of a mighty will, which impelled
her to the conscientious performance OF
what she had undertaken. Her disease was
most distressing. 1t was curvature OF the
spine, originating in privation in childhood,
and rooted by want Of the proper attention
aud treatment in later years. Three years ago
it could probably have been arrested, but ii
was a crisis in her profession, and upon sue
cess in surmounting many obstacles her
whole future seemed TO depend. Naturally,
also. her friends as well as herself failed TO
realize the profoundly serious nature of her
troubles and that complete recovery would
follow intervals of rest and the various
methods of treatment recommended by at
tending physicians. During the past sum-
mer, however, the development of the
disease has been rapid. sea voyage failed
| entirely to produce any change for the bet
| ter, and the fat of the highest medical au-
| thorities abroad confirmed her worst fears,
and condemned her to terrible operation,
the same to which Charles Sumner submit
| ted for the cure Of the same disease. Its
main feature is
THE BURNING OF THE FLESH OF THE BACK
from the neck down to the waist with hot
| irons. This horrible torture poor Clara
/ MOrria Tho nnoratiOn
performed in Paris, in the presence OF Mrs,
| Worthington, Dom Piatt's sister-in-law.
| who has been travelling with her; Mrs.
| Cleveland, her daughter; Miss Gabrielle
Greeley, and Sir William Belmore, the
attending physician. Her medical attend
ants wished her to take chloroform, but
she refused, and heroically bore the fright
full agony until the cruel process
had been repeated four times. Then
| the pain and smell OF her own burn
ing flesh became too much for
her. Nature, even her brave nature, could
stand no more, and she tainted dead away;
nor were they certain tor long time
| whether consciousness could be restored, or
that the vital spark had not been tortured
out of its socket. 1t was impossible, there
| fore, to complete the operation, which re-
quires that the processo of burning be repeated
! six times, but whether 1t will be repeated
| when the patient gains strength is not GER
tainly known. A private letter, written
from Paris by friend who stood by and saw
! the terrible trial. is printed in Don Piatt's
Capital:
THE TESTIMONY OF AN EYEWITNESS.
IL RUE DE La BIENFAIsANCE,
PARIS, Aug. II, 1875.
DEAR FRIEND -: / hasten to write you,
we'll as 1 am able under the circumstances,
of the terrible trial to which our dear little
friend has been subjected. As Prof. Ball
hr,D IO.l
win, that The disease of the spine would, if
not arrested. terminate fatally within two
years, she determined to submit to the treat
ment that IL makes me shudder to think OF.
Sne said only, "Let me have IL at once;
| don't let me think of it," and last Tuesday
we drove to the DOCTORS rooms, 81 Rue de
| la Luxembourg. She was very pale, prob
ably not more so than usual, but could not
| but notice that the nOstrils we're dilated and
| the mouth more firmly set than usual. She
| conversed less than common, and in fits and
starts, and, strange to say, of the
way. Arriving at DR.. Belvin's we
| were annoyed at not finding Prof
| Ball there, but had to wait tor him nearly
half an hour. All the while our poor friend
| sat with her hands clGsped between her
| knees, saying at intervals, 'tIf they keep me
| waiting I shall tail. / know 1 shall fail /"
| At last the professor was announced, and
| then fftesE more minutes were given TO
preparation IN an adjoining room. Clara
had stipulated that she should not see the
furnaces nor the irons, ard 1t cost the two
physicians some trouble and labor to COM
ply with her wishes. We We're at last sum
| moned TO enter, and nothing was visible but
the low chair ia which tho victim was to sit
aud the two operators. DR.. Belvin is man
not over thirty-five, with a clear blue eve,
blonde head. and rather kind expression of
face. Prot. Ball is about sixty, with promi-
nent hooked nose, small gray eyes, and OF
less than the medium height. 1t may have
been the circumstances, but he looked to me
THE BEAU IDEAL OF AN INoUIsIToR
of the Spanish irquisition, well deserving the
title given him in Paris among medical men
Of "tbe butchsr," on account of bis terrible
and frequent operations. Poor Clara was
obliged to sit on low chair with her back
barred, and she went through the operation
quiet enough, but with her face pale and
rigid as marble. The only evidence beyond
this was the pitiful trembling of her poor
little hands. She spoke calmly, however,
requesting me to hold her head, not her
hands, as she sat looking up at me as il
to read in my face what was going on be-
hind her. / believe l suffered the more of
the two. Then DIR. Belyin lit his furnace
and the roaring of the flame that was to heat
the iron to u white heat in a few seconds was
dreadful to hear; and while this was going
on Prof. Ball marked with a pencil the line
the iron was to follow on either side of the
spine. Every touch OF the pencil sent a
thrill through the delicate frame of the poor
victim; but the professor had scarcely ended
making the pencil marks when. with flash,
the iron was applied. 1t was dreadful. The
white point seemed to sink an inch in the
quivering form, with the sickeDing sound of
burning flesh; but beyond writhing OF the
body, accompanied by deep, heavy breath
ing. there was no resp onse-not a Shrek, not
a sigh or groan. The doctor had nearly
completed his dreadful task when Clara,
suddenly starting up, cried out in a voice
that even moved Prot. Ball:
''MY GOD, CAN NOT, CAN NOT BEAR IT."
It was all over, however; and do you know |
she helped replace her clothes after the