The Osceola times., 1882-07-15
GIVEN UP BY DOCTORS.
A Man Who Wishes His Stomach RemOv-
ed And Examined.
per.
New York Times.

u
| Mr.. n. MtGregor Steele, lawyer re-
siding in Brooklyn, having been assured
by various doctors that he was the victim
of an incurabls disease, has written let
ter to the Brooklyn Eagle stating all the
facts in this case, and proposing TO reward
whoever will tell him what his disease is
or whoever will cure him. His ailmen
has been pronounced by some ph ysicians
to be thickening of the coats Of the
stomach, while an eminent New England
specialist insists that he has cancer of
the stomach. The invalid has lost about
sixty pounds in weight during the past
! few weeks, and, not being satisfied to
drag cut his existence as a comfortable
invalid" he makes the following PROPOSE
| ton:
81 will give any one $500 to tell me my
disease and keep me alive long enough
to finish up some little work have on
| hand, say six months or a year, or will
give 81 900. to know my disease and be
cured" Mr.. Steele's residence, No. "A
| Downing street, Brooklyn, is comforta-
/ BILE brown-stone house, with three stories
and high base ment. When a Times
reporter called there early last evening
/ he was at once invited up stairs into the
sick mans room, which is in the second
story front. Mr.. Steele was propped up
in bed with pillows, and scattered around
/ him were numerous books and papers,
indicating that the activity of his mind
was in no wise impaired. The individ.
ual appeared very much emaciated, but
his voice was strong, his eyes clear and
/ bright, and his manner cheerful. His
beard and heavy mustache, just turning
gray, completely concealed the lower part
OF his pale face. In response to an in
| quiry as tc his condition, he said that he
was feeling quite well and thought he
had improved somewhat during the past
week or two. Nobody can comprehend
what | have suffered, though" he re-
marked. AT times the pains in my
stomach and back have been excrucia.
ting. They are just like dog biting a
cat through the back"
"W hen did this afliiction begin?' asked
the reporter.
at was early last fall that first began
TO feel slight pains in my stomach.
was actively engaged in local politics at
the time, and | kept right on at work,
both in my business and making speech.
es During the winter my trouble be-
came so serious that | went to Europe in
February in the hope of obtaining medi-
cal treatment there as would cure me.
| visited Rome, Naples, and other places,
and took a great deal of satisfaction in
observing and studying the nur.erous
treasures Of antiquity there. My con-
dition, however, grew worse, and | had
to come home, arriving here about five
weeks ago. Since then have been con
fined to my bed nearly all the time. The
nature of my ailment is such that | can
only lie on my back, and that is not only
monotonous but very painful"
"What do you call your complaint
81 believe the proper name for it is
fibrous thickening of the coats of the
stomach. 1t is very rare disease, and
the doctors do not seem to know much
about it. do not believe that | have
any cancer in my stomach atall, although
one of the doctors told me that had.
Vomiting, i understand, is one of the
chiefsymptoms of cancer Now, new
er vomit, and | never have any desire to
do so. Everything that | eat stays 0 l
my stomach. The doctors seem to dis
agree in my case. l should be glad to
have some competent surgeons cut out
my stomach and examine it and see what
is really the matter with me am will
ing to take the chances of surviving the
operation; but even if | should die it
would be no worse than to live and suffer
as have done.'
''Have you suggested such an operation
t) your doctorS?"
"Oh, yes, but they all shook their
heads and said it would not do. am
sure can't see why such an operation
could not be performed. 1t is a matter of
record in surgical practice that man in
Vienna, who was suffering from COM
plant similar to mine, had his stomach
removed, examined and replaced. He
lived for eleven months afterward, and
died from causes not connected with his
stomach trouble. However, shall con-
tinue to be treated by DR.. Stevens, my
present attendant, and If he cannot cure
me shall let nature take its course, and
not bother with the doctors any further"
"Does DR.. Stevens think that he can
cure You ~
"He told me that he believed he could
effect cure. His treatment is homeo'
pathic, and the only medicine that he
gives me is white powder to quiet my
stomach OF course, / have to keep up
my hypodermic injections of morphine
in order to alleviate the pains. l have
an intense craving for food, but can eat
very little at time, and then food of the
very simplest nature, such as milk, rice
and milk, corn starch, koemiss, etc. Some
times chew little tenderloin steak for
the juice. eat about every two hours,
and never sleep more than two hours at
a time"
"You say in your letter that you care
nothing about dying. Have you no con.
Germ about the hereafter?
so far as the hereafter is concerned,
death is nothing more to me than the
turning over of my hand. believe that
all of mans obligations are in this
world. | am what you might call free
thinker. may say that think very
much as Prof. Felix Adler does"
Mr.. Steele said that his idea in giving
publicity to his case was TO secure all the
information and advice possible. If there
was any means by which he could be
cured he wanted TO know it. For many
years he has made study of antiquities,
and he is particularly desirious of living
long enough to write description of his
recent observations in Italy. However,
should his disease prove to be incurable,
Mr.. Steele said that he was willing that
competent practitioners should make such
disposition of his BODY as would inure to
the benefit of mankind. Mr.. Steele has