Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-05-04
PRESENTIMENTS.
An Investigation of the Cause OF
Those Dark FOrebOdings Which
Fake Powerful Men Weak.
Golden RuIe

return in nineteen years of the great
comet of last summer will cause the des-
truction of the earth. But while people
are becoming so strangely exercised over
this announcement, an event of far more
serious importance, which is Ia king place
TO-DAY. seems to be almost wholly over
looked. The nature of this most vital
subject can be best explained by relating
the following experiences
Bishop Z. 0. Haven, known TO the en-
tire land, was unaccountably awakened
one night out of sound sleep, and lav
awake until morning. His mind seemed
unusually active, and he not only reviewed
his past life, which had been an eventful
one, bat laid extensive plans for the fu-
ture. He did not feel especially i'll, but
could not account for the unusual activity
of his brain, nor for the restlessnass
which seemed 10 possess him. In the
morning he had but little appetite, but
was apparently well in other respects. In
a few days, however, he began to feel rest
less and morbid, although he tried earnest
lY 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 of gra-
dual sinking and wasting away of his
est and diligent worker, and in his zeal
frequently over-taxed his strength, and
being absorbed in his duties failed to OBJ
serve the common symptoms with which
he was afflicted, thus permitting the work
OF destruction to go on unheeded. But
the end haally came in most peremptory
manner. Shortly before his death he
wrote letter-the last one he ever indi-
ted-in which he speaks as follows: d" A
belief that death is near affects different
minds differently, but probably all who
are in a fair condition of physical and
mental strength instinctively shrink from
it with an indefnable dread and horror.
a dying man is no more able of himself to
foresee his own destiny or the destiny Of
those he leaves than he was before he be-
gan to die"
The recent sad and sudden death of
Hon. Clarkson n. Potter is one oc the
most serious warnings ever given in the
long list of innumerable cases of fatal neg
lect. 1t is not sufficient to gay that many
other brilliant men, including Everett,
Summer, Chase, Wood, Wilson and Car
penter, were swept away by the same fatal
trouble. The qsestiop is, were these men
sufficiently careful Of their health, and
could have been saved? The Albany
Argus, in speaking of Mr.. Potter's sudden
illness and death, says:
"One of the physicians who attended
Mr.. Potter here was interviewed this
evening. He stated that Mr.. Potter's in
ability to converse had for some time
ssrved to battle the physicians in their
efforts to determine the root OF his siIlness.
1t seems, however, shat Mr.. Potter, some
two years ego, suffered slight attack of
kidney disease. Unwise dependence upon
robust constitution and naturally per-
feet health, and neglect of proper cloth
ing, doubtless sowed the seeds of a disease
that needed but some personal neglect as
that of Tuesday morning to develop.
From the symptoms at first shown,
1t was thought that his only trou-
bic was nervous prOstration but his
long continuance In a semi-conscious state
led to the belief that his illness was seat
ed in chronic difficulty more mysterious
and dangerous
Up to the latter part of last year Mr..
Edward F. Rook, 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 he was the victim of un-
accountable uneasiness. His experience
as described by one who knew, was as fol-
lows: "At unexpected times, and on oc-
casions when he had the greatest reason
to feel joyous he was irritable and haunt
ed with strange feelings of discomfort. He
endeavoured to check these feelings and
appear pleasant, but it required a great
effort to do so after which he would
again relapse into his former morbid
meod. This feeling continued for num-
ber 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, ach-
ing sensations IN his limbs and various
parts OF his body Shortly afterward 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 physi-
clan, who Informed him that his kidneys
were slightly affected, and gave him medi-
clRe to restore them. But he grew worse
instead 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
feyerish, constantly uneasy, and yet al
ways weary. He had an intense appe-
tite one day and very little the next. His
pulse was irregular, his breathing labored
and every moment Of existence was bur-
der. These disastrous symptoms con-
tinued, his face and 1dy became discol-
ored, his heart was irregular In it's action,
and his breath came in short, convulsive
gaspH. He grew constantly worse not
withstanding the utmost precautions of
his friends, and finally died in the great
est agony. After his death an examina-
ton as to its actual cause was made, when
his brain was found to be in a perfect con-
dition, and the reason his of disease was
an entirelY!diferent nature"
The experiences which have been cited
above all had common cause, and were
each the result of one disease. That dis
ease, which SO deceitfully, Jet surely, re-
moved 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 un-
checked until it resulted in acute Bright's
disease. The leading physicians and
scientists of the world are fast learning
that more than one-half the deaths which
occur are caused By this monstrous
scourge. 1t ia one of the most deceitful
maladies ever known to the human race.
1t manifests itself by symptoms SO slight
and common as to seem unworthy of at
tention land yet these very insignificant
symptoms are the first stages of the worst
complaint known in the history of the
world. Thousands of people have died
from troubles that are called heart dis