The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-07-05
NO HOME EXEMPT.
The Source of Those Mysterious Trouble
That Come to Every Household
Explained.

The following article from the Democrat
and Chronicle, of Rochester, N. Y, is of so,
striking nature and emanates from SO re-
liable a source, that it is herewith repub-
lished entire. In addition to the valuable
matter it contains, it will be found exceed
ingly interesting: i.
To the Editor 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 l have
been saved from a most horrible death,
and, secondly, a desire to warn all who read
this statement against some of the most de-
ceptive influences by which they have ever
been surrounded. 1t is a fact that to-day
thousands of people are within a foot of
the grave and they do not know it. To tell
how L was caught away from just this po-
sition and to warn others against nearing
It, are my objects in this communications
On the first day of June, 1881, Hay at my
residence in this city surrounded by my
friends and waiting for death. Heaven
words can never describe it. And yet, if a
few years previous, any one had told me
that l was to be brought so low, and by so
/. terrible a disease, I should have scoffed at
the idea. had always been uncommonly
strong and healthy. had weighed over 200
pounds and hardly knew, in my own ex-
perience, what pain or sickness were.
Very many people who will read this state
ment realize at times that they are unu-
sually. tired, and can not account for it.
They feel dull n indefinite pains in va
rious parts of the body, and do not under
stand it. Or they are exceedingly hungry
one day and entirely without appetite the
next. This was just the way I felt when
the relentless malady which had fastened
itself upon me first began. Still I thought
it was nothing; that probably 1 had taken
a cold which would soon pass away.
Shortly after this I noticed a heavy, and at
times a neuralgia, pain in my head, but as
it would come one day and be gone the
next, l paid but little attention to it. How
ever, my stomach was out of order and my
food often failed to digest, causing at times
great Inconvenience. Yet l had no idea,
even as a physician, that these things
meant anything serious or that q mon
strous disease was becoming fxed Upon
me. Candidly, I thought 1 was suffering
from Malaria, and SO .doctored myself ac-
cordingly. But I got no better. I next
noticed a peculiar color and odor about the
fluids 1 was p~assing-also that there were
the next, and that a persistent froth and
scum appeared upon the surface, and q
sediment settled in the bottom. And yet I
did not realize my danger, for, indeed, see
became accustomed to them, and my sus-
picion was wholly disarmed by the fact
that l had no pain in the affected organs or
in their vicinity. Why 1 should lave been
SO blind i can not understand.
There is a terrible future for all physical
neglect, and impending danger always
brings a person to his senses, even though
it may then be too late. Irealized, at last,
my critical condition and aroused myself
to overcome it. And, Oh! how hard 1
tried! l consulted the best medical skill
in the land. I visited all the prominent
mineral springs in America, and travelled
from Maine to California. Still 1 grew
worse. No two physicians agreed as to
my malady. One said l was troubled with
spinal irritation; another, nervous pros
t%ration; another, malaiia; another, dys-
spepsia; another, heart-disease; another,
general debility; another, congestion Of
the base of the brain; and so on through q
long list of common diseases, the symptoms
of all of which l really had. In this way
several years passed, during all of which
TIM / was steadily growing worse. My
condition had really become pitiable. The
slight symptoms 1 at first experienced
were developed into terrible and constant
disorders-the little twigs of pain had
grown to oak of agony. My weight had
been reduced from POI to 100 pounds.
Ny life was a torture to myself and
friends. 1 could retain no food upon my
stomach, and lived wholly by Injections. I
was a living mass of pain. My pulse was
uncomfortable. In my agony 1 frequently
fell upon the floor, convulsively c1utched
the carpet, and prayed for death. Nor
phine had little or no effect in deadening
the pain. For six days and nights l had
the death-premonitory hiccoughs con-
stantly. My urine was filed with tube
casts and albumen. l was struggling with
Bright's Disease of the kidneys in its last
stages.