Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-06-29
PREsENTIMENTs.
An Investigation of the Causes of Those Dark
Forebodings which Make Powerful
Men Weak.
Golden Rule.

Meu WEAK
Golden Rule
Much apprehension has been occasioned
throughout America from the announce
ment made by Professor Proctor 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 announce
1nent, an event of far more serious impor-
lance, which is taking place to-day, seems
to be almost wholly overlooked The ma
ture of this most vital subject can be best
explained by relating the following expert
enceS:
Bishop f. o. Haven, known to the entire
land. was unaccountably awakened one
night out of n sound sleep, and lay awake
until morning. His mind seemed unusually
active, and he not only reviewed his past
life, which had been an eventful 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 restlessness which seemed to possess
him. In the morning he had but little APP
petite, but was apparently well in other re-
| spectS. In a few days, however, he began
to feel restless and morbid, although he
tried earnestly to overcome the feeling
which had taken possession Of him. But
try as he would the shadow of some evil
seemed to follow him. and he was conscious
Ola gradual sinking and wasting away of
all his physical faculties. He had been an
earnest and diligent worker, and in his zeal
frequently oycr-taNcd his strength, and be-
ing absorbed in his duties failed to observe
the common symptoms with which he was
afflicted, thus permitting the work of de-
struction to 60 on UNDECIDED. But the end
finally came in most percmptory manner
Shortly before his death he wrote Il letter.
the last one he ever inditcd-in which he
speaks as follows: "a belief that death is
near affects different minds differently. but
probably all who are in q fair condition of
physical and mental strength instinctively
shrink from it with an indctnable dread
and horror. a dying man is no more able
of himself to ioresee his own destiny or the
destiny Of those he leaves than he was he
fore he began to die"
The recent sad and sudden death of Hon.
Clarkson \. Potter is one Of the most seri.
GUS warnings ever given in the long list Of
innumerable cases of fatal neglect 1t isnot
sufficient to say that many other brilliant
men, including Everett. Sumner, Chase,
Wood, Wilson and Carpenter, were swept
away by the same fatal trouble The uucs-
ton is, were these men sufficiently careful
Of their health, and could they have been
saved? The Albany Argus, in speaking of
Mr. Potter's sudden illness and death, says
Zone Of the physicians who attended
Mr. Potter here was interviewed last even
ing. He stated that Mr.. Potter's inability
to converse had for some time served to
battle the physicians in their efforts to deter
mine the root ofhis illness. 1t seems, how
ever, that Mr. Potter, some two years ago,
sutiereda slight attack of kidney disease
| unWise dependence upon II robust c0nsitll-
ton and naturally perfect health, and neg
lcct OF proper clothing, doubtless sowcd the
seeds Of a disease that needed but some such
personal neglect rs that ofTuesday morning
to develop. From the symptoms at first shown
it was thought that his only trouble was nell
vous prostration; but his long continuance
in semi-unconscious state led to the belief
that his illness was seated in chronic diff
Guilty more mysterious and dangerous"
Up to the latter part Of last year Mr.. Ed
ward F. Rock, Il 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 uneaSincss.
His experience as described by one who
knew, was us follows "At unexpected
times, and on occasions when he had the
greatest reason to feel joyous he was irrita-
bic and haunted with strange feelings of dis.
content. HeendeavOred TO check these feel
ings and appear pleasant, but it required a
great effort to do so after which he would
again relapse into his former morbid mood.
This feeling continued fora number ofmonths
when he became conscious Of an added sen
sation of lassitudc 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 Short
ly afterwalI 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 eminent nhv-
sican, who informed him that his kidnevs
were slightly effected, and gave him mcdi-
cine to restore them. But he grew worse
instead of better. He consulted other emil
nent doctors OF another school and was in
formed that he had Il brain difficulty some
what IN the nature of tumor, but in spite
OF all efforts to the contrary he con.
tinued to grow worse. At this time
his condition was terrible. What
were at first simple symptoms had de.
Veloped to terrible troubles Hewas flushed
and ieverish, constantly uneasy, and vet
always weary. He had an intense annette
one day and very little the next. His pulse
was irregular, his breathing laborcd, and
every moment Of existence was Il burden.
These disastrous symptoms continued, his
face and body became discoorcd, his heart
was irregular in its action, and his breath
came in short, convulsivc gasps He grew
constantly worse, Notwithstanding the ut
most precautions Of his friends, and finally
died Ill the greatest agony. After his death
an examination us to its actual cause was
made, when his brain was found to be in a
perfect condition, and the reason of his
decease was of an entirely different nature"
The experiences which have been cited
above all had Il common cause and were
each the result Of one disease. The disease.
which so ,dccettully, yet surely removed the
people above mentioned was Bricht's di-
sease of the kidneys. In the case of Mr.,
Rock the examination after death while
showing the brain to be in perfect condi-
ton, 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 physi.
clans and scientists Of the word are fast
learning that more than one-half the deaths