Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-11-30
A MINISTER'S ESCAPE.
From the Asylum to the Bosom OF
His Hometown 1t Was Done.

[ have always shrunk from appearing
prominently before the public, but sense
Of the duty | owe humanity and the world
prompts me to ask this opportunity for
making a brief statement in your paper.
Whether il be true with others I cannot
say, but during my entire life I have fire.
quently been conscious that something
was slowly and silently working to under
mine nv health and life What it was [
could not tell bat that some enemy of my
being Was devouring me within l was GER
tain. At times l would seem compare
lively well, and then I would be attacked
with the most distressing symptoms. l
would feel peculiar pains in various parts
of nv body; my head would feel heavy;
my respiration labored; my appetite
would be ravenous one day and wauld
loathe food the day following. Then
again I would lose all interest in life;
would feel weary without exertion; and
become sleepy at midday and restless at
night. Occasionally my breathing would
be labored and my heart almost motion
less, while at the other times it would
palpitate violently. l thought these
troubles were the result of malaria, and
treated them accordingly, but | got no
better. Shortly after my stomach be
and the fluids passed were of peculiar
odor and color. And yet | did not realize
that these things meant anything serious.
Finally l consulted number Of eminent
physicians, each one of whom took a
different view as to the cause Of my
troubles. One said I was suffering from
brain disease; another spinal difficulty :;
others heart affection, kidney disease, etc
My symptoms were terrible, and in the
hope of relief | was cauterized, cupped,
blistered and subjected to almost every
known form of treatment. During one
Of these attacks while at Red bank, n. j :,
a physician was called, and left prescrip-
ton. After he had gone, [ requested a
friend TO go and ask him what he
thought of my trouble. The reply was:
ooh, he will be all right in a few days;
its only an attack of delirium tremens."
He was at once informed that this was
impossible. as [ had never used any kind
of intoxicating drinks; whereupon he
returned. made inquiries, and changed
his prescription. But all the care of my
friends and physicians availed no thing.
/ grew worse constantly, and what is
most terrible to think of, did not know
what allied me, nor could find any one
who did.
During the summer and fall of last
year my pulse ranged from 100 to 100
per minute; had no relish for food. and
was indeed most pitiable object. I be-
came unconscious and lost my reason,
though | had two physicians in whom
myself and friends placed implicit conf
dence. In this condition [ was taken to
Brattleboro, VT, forathe pur pose of being
placed in the insane asylum. | remained
there until last April, being attended all
the while By my faithful wife who never
left me, and believed that some disease
and not insanity was the cause OF all my
trouble. [ regained consciousness in
March last and insisted upon being taken
home. The physicians advised that / re-
main, but l insisted upon leaving, and we
began the journey, travelling slowly. I
was met at the dock by friend whom [
recognized and then / became again
unconscious and remained so for over a
week. When [ once more recognized my
friend and knew my surroundings [ de-
termined to try, as last resort, a treat
ment of which / had heard much but
knew nothing. Neither myself nor
friends had much faith that it or any
thing could help me, but we resolved to
try. We accordingly dismissed the physi-
clans, gave up all other remedies, and /
roioice to say with the blessing of Him
who guided us, [ am to-day a well man,
having not been so vigorous for many
years, and / owe it all to the wonderful,
almost miraculous, power of Warmers
Safe Kidney and Liver Cure, the remedy
which used.
You can well imagine how grateful /
must feel under the circumstances, and,
like new convert, | earnestly desire that
all who are suffering should know and
avail themselves of this means of recov-
cry. Had it not been for the remedy
above named / should doubtless now be
within the walls of an asylum or in my
grave. The great trouble with my case
was that no one seemed to know what /
was afflicted with, and / am positive that
thousands of people in America to-day are
in the same or similar condition, and do
not know its cause. Kidney troubles are
the most deceptive of all diseases, They
have no symptoms of their own, but often
show the symptoms of nearly every known
complaint. | know that people are dying
every day from supposed consumption,
spople1y, heart disease, spinal complaint,
and many other diseases, when could the
real cause be known, it would be found to
originate in the kidneys. In their ad-
vanced stages. kidney troubles are the
m Ost terrible of all known mala0ies, as
my own experience can fully verify.
That had Bright's disease of the kidneys
there can he no doubt. That the symp-
toms were those of many other diseases is
equally certain, and that | was doomed to
a terrible death had I not been saved as I
was, am positive. The following letters
Just received, confirm this:
VERMONT ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE,
BRATTLBBoRo, VT, Oct. 80, 1882.
Rec. E. d. Hopkins:
DEAR Sir: Yours of the 2lst inst. re-
ceived. We congratulate you not only
upon the continuance of your health, but
also upon its apparent continual improve
ment. Few persons, l think, have ever
passed through so e1hausting an expert
ence as you and rallied from it. Certain
ly l cannot recall one who cam to us in
so critical, and for days and even weeks
in SO hopeless a state for amendment as
you, and who survived and recovered from
it; for, l think, you may now consider
yourself no longer on the eonvalescent
list. Hoping for the continuance of your
present health, with the best wishes from
all here, am, yours truly.
J. DRAPER.
OCEANIC, n. J., Nov. ?, 1882.
My DEAR FRIEND: Replying to your
letter I would say, I have been acquaint-
ed with my highly valued friend, the
Rev. S. D. Hopkins, about eighteen
months, and very intimately acquainted
for about six months past. For little
more than five months he was sn
inmate of my house, and we enjoyed con-
slant intercourse with each other. When
he came in April last he was almost
wreck in point of health. l thought he
had come 10 us but to die. Soon after