Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-02-11
A REMARKABLE STATEMENT.
The Unusual ExperIence of n Prominent
MINI Mnde puhlic.

The following article from the Democrat and
Chronicle, OF Rochester, \. y, is of so striking
a nature, and emanates from so reliable
source. that it is herewith republishod entire.
In addition to the valuable matter it contains,
it will be found exceedingly interesting
TO the Idior Of the Democrat and Chronicle:
Sir My motives for the publication OF the
most unusual statements which follow are,
first, gratitude for the fact that have bce:I
saved from most horrible death, and second
~, a desire to warn all who read this statement
against some of the most deceptive influences
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 no. know
it. To tell how | was caught away from just
this position and to warn others against near
ing il are my objects i'll this communication.
On the first day OF jane, 1881, | lay at my
residence in this city surrounded by my friends
and waiting for death. Heaven only knows tho
agony then endured for words can never de-
scribe it, And vet, il Il few FEARS previous. any
one had told me that was 10 be brought so
low and bv SO terrible 4 disease, should have
scotied al the idea. 1 hal always been un-
commonly strong and healthy, had weighed
over 200 pounds and hardly knew, in my own
experience what pain or sickness We're. Very
many people who will read this statement re-
aZe AT times that they arc unusually tired and
cannot account for it. They feel dull and in
do not understand it. Or they are exeec lingiy
hungry one day and entirely without appetite
the next. This was just the way | felt when
the relentless rnalady which had fastened itself
upon me first began. Sill l thought it was
nothing; that probably l had taken a cold
which would soon pass away. Shortly after
this l noticed dull, and at times
neuralgia, pain i'll my head, but as it would
come one day and b. gone tue next, | paid but
little attention To IT, However, my omach
was out of order and my food often failed to
digest causing at times great Inconvenience.
Yet l had no idea. even as 4 physician that
these things meant ANYTHING serious on that 8
monstrous disease was becoming fixed upon
me. Candidly | thought was suffering fror
Malaria and 20 doctored myself accordingly
| But got no better. next noticed = peculiar
! color and odor about the fluids ! was passing
also that there were large quantities ore day
and very little tho next, and that a persistent
froth and scum appeared upon the surface
and a sediment settled in the bottom. And
vet | did not realize my danger. for. indeed,
seeing these symptoms continually, finally
became accustomed 20 them, and my suspicion
was wholly disaTmcl by the fact that had no
pain in the affected organs or in their vicinity.
why | should have been so blind l cannot
/ understand.
There is \ terrible future for all physical
neg. ect and impending danger usually brings
a person to his senses even though II may then
I
condition and aroused myself TO overcome il.
And, Oh how hard / tired / consulted the
] best medical skill in the land. / visited ali the
prominent mineral springs in America AMI
travelled from Maine 10 California. Still | grew
worse. No two physicians agreed 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, congestion of the base OF the brain !;
and 50 on through a long list of common dis
eases, the symptoms OF all of which | really
had II this way several years passod, during all
of which time was steadily growing worse My
condition had really become ptiable. The slight
symptoms 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 207 to $50
pounds. My lie was torture TO myself and
friends. could retain no food upon my
stomach, and lived wholly by injections L
was a living mass of pain. NJ pulse was I'M
controllable In my agony l frequently fell
upon the floor, convulsiyely clutched the car
yi.----l- s4-a,-ld for death. Morphine had little