The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-04-20
.REsENTIAIENTs.
An Investigation of the Causes Of Those
Dark ForbOdings which Make
Powerful Men Weak.
IGoldep Rhlel


Much apprehension has been .occa-
stoned throughout America from lhe
announcement made by Professor Proc
tor that the return in nineteen years OF
the great comet of last summer Will
cause the destruction of the earth. But
while people are becoming so strangely
exercised over this announcement, an
event of far more serious Importance,
which is taking place to-day, seems to
be almost wholly overlooked. Inc ma
ture of this most vital subject can be
best explained by relating the follow
ing experiences:
Bishop +. o. Haven, known to the en-
tire land, was unaccOuntably awakened
one night out of sound sleep, and lay
awake until morning. His mind seemed
unusually active, and he not only review
ed his past life, which had been an event
full one, but laid extensive plans for the
future. He did not feel especially i'll,
but could not account for the unusual
activity of his brain, nor for the restless
ness which seemed to possess hlm In
the morning he had but little appetite,
but was apparently well in other re-
spects. In few days, however, he De
gan to feel restless and morbid, although
he tried earnestly to overcome the feel
ing which had taken possession of him.
But try as he would the shadow of some
evil seemed to follow him, and he was
conscious of gradual sinking and vast
ing away of all his physical faculties.
He had been an earnest and dlugent
worker, and in his zeal frequently over
taxed his strength, and being absorbed
in his duties failed to observe the com
mon symptoms with which he was
afflicted, thus permitting the work of
destruction to go on unheeded. But the
end finally came in a most peremptOry
manner. Shortly before his death he
wrote a letteT-the last one he ever in
dited-in which he speaks as follows:
"a belief that death is near affects diff
ferent minds differently, but probably
all who are in a fair condition of physi-
cal and mental strength instinctiyely
shrink from it with an indetinable dread
and horror. A dying man Is no more
able of himself to fOresee his own deS-
tiny or the destiny Of those he leaves
than he was before he began to die
The recent sad and sudden death OF
Hon. ClaTksOn n. Potter is one of the
most serious warnings ever given in the
long list of innumerable cases of fatal
neglect. 1t is not sufficient to say that
many other brilliant men, including
Everett, Sumner, Chase, Wood, Wilson
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, i'll speaking or MI.
POtter's sudden illness and death, says;
zone of the physicians who attended
Mr.. Potter here was interviewed last
evening. He stated that Mr.. POtter's
inability to converse had for some time
served to battle the physicians in their
efforts to determine the root of his i'll
ness. 1t seems, however, that Mr
Potter, some two years ago, suffered
slight attack of kidney disease. UnWlse
dependence upon robust constitution
and naturally perfect health, and ne
glect of proper clothing, doubtless sOwed
the seeds of a disease that needed but
some such personal neglect as that of
Tuesday morning to develop. From the
symptoms at first shown, it was thought
that his only trouble was neryOns pros
tTatiOn; but his long continuance i'll
semi-uncOnsciOus state led to the BELIEF
that his illness was seated IN chronic
difficulty more mysterious and danger
Ous.'
Up to the latter part of last year Mr..
Edward f. ROOk, a member of the New
York stock exchange, was doing buSl-
ness in Wall street, New York. lie had
everything to encourage him, and make
life happy, but was the victim OF unac-
cOuntable uneasiness. His experience
as described by one who knew, was as |
follows: "At unexpected times, and on |
occasions when he had the greatest rea- |
son to feel joyous he was irritable and |
haunted with strange feelings of dis |
content. He endeavOTed to check these |
feelings and appear pleasant, but II re- |
quired a great effort to do so; after |
which he would again relapse into his |
former morbid mood. This feeling con- |
tinued for number of months, when he |
became conscious of an added sensation !
of lasSitude. He was tired even when )
resting, and although experiencing no |
acute pain, had dull, aching sensations |
in his limbs and various parts Of his |
BODY. Shortly afterwaTd his head be- |
gan to ache most frequently and his |
stomach failed to digest properly. Being |
told that he was suffering from malaria |
he consulted an emient physician, who |
informed him that his kidneys were |
slightly affected, and gave him medicine |
to restore them. But he grew worse in
stead 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 to the |
contrary, he continued to grow worse. |
At this time his condition was terrible. |
What were at first simple symptoms had |
developed to terrible troubles. He was
flushed and feYeTish, constantly uneasy, |
and vet always weary. He had an in
tense appetite one day and very little
the next His pulse was irregular, his
breathing labOred, and every moment of
existence was burden. These disas-
trous symptoms continued, his face and
body became discOlOred, his heart was
irregular in its action, and his breath
came in short, cOnvulsive 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 a perfect condition, |
and the reason of his disease was of an
entirely different nature"
The experiences which have been cited
above all had common cause and were
each the result of one disease. That
disease, which so deceitfully, yet surely
removed the people above mentioned
was Bright's disease of the kidneys. In
the case of Mr.. ROOk 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
Bright's disease. The leading physicians
and scientists of the world are fast