Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-12
APROfEss.exA CONFESSION
The Unusual Experience Of q
PrOminent Man Made Public.

49,
contains, it will be found exceedingly
interesting:
To the Editor of the Democrat and
Chronicle:
SIR-My motives for the publica
ton Of the most unusual statements
which follow are, first, gratitude for
the fact that | have been saved from a
most horrible death, and, secondly,
a desire TO warn all who read this
statement against some OF the most
deceptive influences by which they
have ever been surrounded. 1t is a
fact that to-day thousands Of people
are within a foot of the grave and they
do not know it. To tell how | was
caught away from just this position
aud to warn others against nearing 1t,
are my objects in this communication.
On the first day of june l8Sl,l lay
at my residence in this city surround
ed by my friends and waiting for my
| death. Heaven only knows the agony
[ then endured, for words can never
describe it. And yet, if a few years
previous, any one had told me that |
was to De brought SO low, and by so
terrible a disease, Ishould have scoffed
at the idea. | had always been IN
commonly strong and healthy, had
weighed over two hundred pounds
and hardly knew. in my
own experience, what pain or
sickness were. Very many people who
will read this statement realize at
times that they are unusually tired
and cannot account for it. They feel
dull and indefinite pains in various
parts of the body and do not under
stand 1t. Or they are exceedingly
hungry one day and entirely without
appetite the next. This was just the
Aay | felt when the relentless malady
which had fastened itself upon me
first began. Still | thought it was
nothing; that probably | had taken a
a cold which would soon pass
away. Shortly after this /
to,iced a dull, and at
Dimes q neuralgia, pain in my head, but
as it would come one day and be gone
the next, | paid but little attention to
it. However, my stomach was out Of
order aud my food often failed to di-
gest, causing at times great inconve-
n%iencs. Yet | had no idea, even as a
physician, that these things meant
anything serious or that monstrous
disease was becoming fixed upon me,
Uandidly, | thought | was suffering
from malaria and 50 doctored myself
accordingly. But | got no better. |
next noticed a peculiar color and odol
about the fluids / was passing -alsC
that there were large quantities one
day and very little the next, and that
a persistent froth and scum appeared
upon the surface, and a sediment set
tied in the bottom. And yet | did
not realize my danger, for, indeed
seeing these symptoms continually, ]
finally became accustomed to them,
and my suspicion was wholly disarmed
BY the fact that | had no pain in the
affected organs or in their vicinity
Why | should have been SO blind ]
cannot understand.
There is a terrible future for al.
physical neglect, and impending dan.
ger always brings a person to hii
senses even though it may then be to.
late. l~realized, at last, my critica.
condition and aroused myself to over.
come it. And, oh how hard | tried
|, [ consulted the best medical skill il
the land. | visited all the prominent
mineral springs in America anC
Travelled from Maine to California
Still [ grew worse. No two physicians
agreed as to my malady. One said ]
was troubled with spinal irritation
another, nervous p%rostration another
malaria another, dyspepsia another
heart disease another, general debil
ity another, congestion of the base O
the brain and 50 on through a Ions
list OF common diseases, the symptom
of all Of which | really had. In thii
way several years passed during
all Of which time / was steadily
growing worse. My condition haC
really become pitiable. The Sigh
symptoms | at first experienced wer,
developed into terrible and constant
disorders-the little twigs Of pain had
grown to oaks of agony. My weight
had been reduced from 2O7 to 13(
pounds. My life was a torture to my.
sell and friends. | could retain NJ
food upon my stomach and lived
wholly by Injections. | was a Twin,
mass Of pain. My pulse was uncon
/, itTOllable. In my agony / frequently
, fell upon the floor, convulsively
clutched the carpet, and prayed fol
death. Morphine had little or no Ell
fectin deadening the pain. For siy
days and nights / bad the death pre-
monitory hiccoughs constantly. N,
urine was filed with tube casts anC
albumen. l was struggling will
Bright's Disease Of the Kidneys in il
last stages.
q While suffering thus l received
call from my pastor. the Rev. DR.
Foote, rector of st. Pauls church. o
this city. l felt that it was our las
interview, but In the course of con
versation be mentioned a remedy o
which | Lad heard much but ha,
never used. DR.. Foote detailed to m,
the many remarkable cures which ha,
come under his observation, by mean
, of this remedy, and urged me to tr,
it. AS %practioing physician aud
graduate of the schools, / cherishe,
, the prejudice both natural and com
! mon with all regular practitioners ant
! derided the idea Of any medicine out
I side the regular channels being tn
J least beneficial. So solicitous. how
! ever, was DR.. Foote that | fnall.
promised / would waive ing prejudic
! and try the remedy he so highly recon
mended. | began its use on the l.
day Of June, and took it according I
! directions. At first it sickened me
y but thisI thought was agood sign 10
/; mein my debilitated condition. | cor
! tinued TO take it, the sickening sensa
! ton departed and | was able to retail
|. food upon my stomach. In a few days
noticed a decided change for the bel
ter as also dill my wife and friendI
My hiccoughs ceased and | experl
enced less pain than formerly. / wa
so rejoiced at this improved eonditio
that, upon what | had believed but
e few days before was my dying bed,