The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-04-27

| fiicted, thus permitting the work of destruc-
| tion to go on unheeded. But the end finally
| came in most peremptory manner. Shortly
| before his death he wrote letter-the last
one he ever indted--in which he speaks as
| follows: "a belief that death is near af-
| fects different minds differently. but prob
ably all who are in fair condition of phys
ical and mental strength instinctively shrink
| from it with an indefinable dread and hur-
ror. A dying man is no more able of him
self to fo1esee his own destiny of those he
leaves than he was before he began to die"
The recent sad and sudden death of Hon.
Clarkson N. Potter is one of the most serious
warnings ever given in the long list of in
Vulnerable cases of fatal neglect. 1t is not
suficientto say that many other brilliant men,
including Everett, Sumner, Chase, Wood,
Wilson and Carpenter, were swept away by
the same fatal trouble. The question is,
| were these men sufficiently careful of their
health, and could they have been saved?
| The Albany argus, in speaking of Mr. Pot
ter's sudden illness and death, says:
Zone of the physicians who attended Mr..
Potter here was interviewed last evening
| He stated that Mr.. Potters inability to con-
verse had for some time served to battle the
| physicians in their efforts to determine the
root of his illness. 1t seems, however, that
Mr. Potter, some two years ago, suffered a
slight attack of kidney disease. Unwise de-
pendence upon a robust constitution and
naturally perfect health, and neglect of
proper clothing, doubtless sowed the seeds
of disease that needed but some such per-
sonal neglect as that of Tuesday morning to
develop From the symptoms at first
shown, it was thought that his only trouble
was nervous prostration; but his long con.
tinuance in seni-unconscous state led to
the belief that his illness was seated in
chronic difficulty more mysterious and dan
gerous."
| Up to the latter part of last year Mr.. Ed
ward +. Rook, member of the New York
stock exchange was doing business in Wall
street, New York. He had everything to
encourage him, and make life happy, but
was the victim of unaccountable uneasiness.
His experience as described by one whe
knew, was as follows: SAT unexpected
times, and on occasions when he had the
greatest reasons to feel joyous he was irrita
bic and haunted with strange feelings of dis
content He endeavored to check these
feelings and appear pleasant, but it required
q great effort to do so; after which he would
again relapse into his former morbid mood.
This feeling continued for a number OF
months, when be became conscious of an
added sensation of lassitude. He was tired
even when resting, and although .experienc-
ing no acute pain, had dull, aching sensa-
tions in his limbs and various parts of his
body. Shortly afterward his head began to
ache most frequently and his stomach failed
to digest properly. Being told that he was
suffering from malaria he consulted an emf
nent physician, who informed him that his
kidneys were slightly affected, and gave him
| aI, tn Ru %
worse instead of better. He then consulted
other eminent doctors of another school and
was informed that he had brain difficulty
somewhat in the nature of a tumor, but in
spite of all efforts 20 the contrary he contin-
ued to grow worse. At this time his condi-
| ton was terrible. What we're at first SIM
pie symptoms had developed to terrible
troubles He was flushed aud fevsrish con-
stantly uneasy, and yet always weary: He
had an intense appetite one day and very
little the next His pulse was irregular, his
breathing labored, and every moment of ex-
istence was burden. These disastrous
symptoms continued, his face and body be-
came discolored, his heart was irregular in
its action and his breath came inshort, con-
vulsive gasps. He grew constantly worse,
notwithstanding the utmost precautions of
his friends and finally died in the greatest
agony. After his death an examination as
to its actual cause was made, when his
brain was found to be in perfect condition,
and the reason of his decease was an en-
tirely different nature"
The experiences which have been cited
above all had a common cause and were each
the result of one disease. That disease,
which so decetfully, yet surely removed the
people above mentioned, was Bright's dis
ease of the kidneys In the case OF Mr..
Rock the examination after death, while
showing the brain to be in perfect condition,
revealed the terrible fact that he was the
victim of slight kidney trouble, which had
gone on unchecked, until it resulted in acute
Brights disease. The leading physicians
and scientists Of the world are fast learning
that more than one-half the deaths which
occur are caused by this monstrous scourge.
| II is one OF the most deccitful maladies ever
known to the human race. 1t manifests it.
self BY symptoms 30 slight and common as
| to seem unworthy Of attention; and yet
these very insignificant symptoms are the
| first stages of the worst complaint known in
the history Of the world. Thousands of
people have died from troubles that are
called heart disease, apoplexy, pneumonia.
brain fever, and similar diseases, when it
was, in fact, Bright's disease of the kidneys.
The ravaQes Of this disease have been greatly
increased from the fact until recent years
no way was known to prevent its beginning
nor check its increase when it had become
once liked upon the system. Within the
past tive years, however, We have learned
VI more than four hundred pronounced cases
Of Brights disease, many OF them much
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