Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-10-21
ApRorEssroNa1 Confession
The s'siasuni Experience of q Prom
inent Man Made Public.

The following article. from the
Democrat and Chronicle, of Roch-
ester, n. Y, is of SO striking ma
ture, and emanates from so reliable
source, that it is herewith re pub
lished entire. In addition TO the
valuable matter il contains, it will
be found exceedingly interesting:
| To the Editor of the Democrat and Chroni-
Gle
SIR My motives for the publ
cation OF the most unusual state
ments which follow are, first, graft
tude for the fact that l have been
saved from a most horrible death,
and, secondly, desire TO warn all
who read this statement against
| some of the most deceptive infiu-
enees by which they have ever
been surrounded. II is a fact that
to-day thousands of people are
within foot of the grave and they
do not know 1t. To tell how | was
caught away from just this position
and to warn others against nearing
1t, are my objects in this commune
cation.
On the first day of June 1881,
lay at my residence in this city
surrounded by my friends anu
waiting for my death. Heaven
only knows the agony l then ell
dured, for words can never describe
it. And yet, if few years previous
any one had told me that | was to
be brought so low, and by SO terri
BILE disease, [ should have scoifed
at the idea. / had always been
uncommonly strong and healthy,
had weighed over 200 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 ac-
count for it. They feel dull and
indefinite pains in various parts of
the body and do not understand it.
Or they aie exceedingly hungry one
| day and entirely without appetite
the next. This was just the way /
| felt when the relentless malady
which had fastened itself upon me
first began. Still | thought it was
nothing that probably had taken
a cold which would soon past away.
Shortly after this / noticed dull,
and at times neuralgia, pain in
my head, but as il would come one
day and be gone the next, I paid
but little attention to 1t. However,
my stomach was out of order and
my food often failed to digest, caus-
ing at times great inconvenience.
| Yet L had no idea, even as physi-
elan, that these things meant any
thing serious or that monstrous
disease was becoming fixed upon
me. Candidly, thought I was
suffering from Malaria and so doc
tored myself accordingly. But /
got no better. / next noticed a
peculiar color and odor about the
fluids | was passing-also that there
were large quantities one day and
very little the next, and that a per-
sistent frOth and scum appeared
upon the surface, and a sediment
settled in the bottom. And yet |
did not realize my danger, for,
indeed, seeing these symptoms con-
tinually, finally became accustom-
ed to them, and my suspicion was
wholly disarmed by the fact that l
had no pain in the affected organs
or In their vicinity. Why / should
have been so blind ! cOnnot under
stand.
There Is terrible future for all
physical neglect, and impending
danger always brings person 10
his senses even though it may then
be too late. / realized, at last, my
critical condition and aroused my
self to overcome it. And, oh how
hard tried! / consulted the best
medical skill in the land. visited
all the prominent mineral springs
in America and 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 prOstratiOn an
other, malaria; another dyspepsia !;
another, heart disease; another,
general debility; another, conges-
ton of the base of the brain and so
on through long list Of common
diseases, the symptoms of all of
which really had. In this way
several years passed, during all of
which time was steadily growing
worse. My condition had really
become pitiable. The slight symp-
toms l at first experienced were
developed into terrible and constant
disorders-the little twigs of pain
had grown to oaks OF agony. My
weight had been reduced from POI
to 1870 pounds. My life was a tor
ture to myself and friends. / could
retain no food upon my stomach,
and lived wholly by injections. /
was living mass of pain. My
pulse was uncomfortable. In my
agony | frequently fell upon the
floor, co nvulsively clutched the
carpet, and prayed for death.
Morphine had little or no effect in
deadening the pain. For six days
and nights 1 had the death-pre-
monitory hiccoughs constantly.
My urine was filled with tube casts
and albumen. l was struggling
with Bright's disease of the kidneys
in Its last stages.
While suffering thus 1 received a
call from my pastor, the Rev. DR..
FOOte, rector of st. Paul's church,
of this city. felt that it was our
last interview, but in the course of
conversation he mentioned q reme-
dy of which / had heard much but
had never used. DIR. FOote detailed
to me the many remarkable cures
which had come under his observa-
ton, by means of this remedy, and
urged me to try it. AS a practicing
physician and a graduate of the
schools, cherished the prejudice
both natural and common with all
regular practitioners, and derided
the idea of any medicine outside the
regular channels being the least
beneficial. So solicitous, however,
was DIR. Foote, that finally prom
lsed would waive my prejudice
and try the remedy he so highly
recommended. / began its use on
the LIST day of June and took it
according to directions. AT first it
sickened me; but this l thought
was n good sign for me in my debil-
itated condition. l continued to
take it; the sickening sensation
departed and / was able to retain
food upon my stomach. In few
days / noticed a decided change for
the better as also did my wife and
friends. My hiccoughs ceased and
/ experienced less pain than for
merly. l was so rejoiced at this
improved condition that. upon
what had believed but few days
before was my dying bed, VOW
ed, In the presence of my family