The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1883-08-04
Tho Source of Those Mysterious Troubles
That Come to Every Household
'~,' '-' Explained.

n The following article from the Democrat
aud Chronicle, of Rochester, N. Y, is of so
striking a nature and emanates from so re-
liable source, that 1t Is herewith repub.
lished entire. In addition to the valuable
matter 1t contains, it will be found exceed
ingly interesting:
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 have
been saved from a most horrible death,
and, secondly, 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 fact that to-day
thousands OF people are within e. foot OF
the grave and they do not know it. To tell
how / was caught away from just this POI
sition and to warn others against nearing
it, are my objects in this communication.
On the first day of June, 1881, Hay at my
residence In this city surrounded by my
friends and waiting for death. Heaven
only knows the agony then endured, for
words can never describe it. And yet, if a
few years previous, any one had told me
that was to be brought SO low, and by so
terrible disease, I should have scoffed at
the idea. ! had always been uncommenlY
strong and healthy, had weighed over POO
pounds and hardly knew, in my own ex-
perien0e, what pain or sickness were,
Very many people whowill read this state
ment realize at times that they are unu-
sually tired, and can not account for it.
They feel dull and indefinite pains in va
rious parts of the body, and do not UNDER
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
cold which would soon pass away.
Shortly after this noticed a heavy, and at
times neuralgia, pain In my head, but as
1t would come one day and be gone the
next, paid but little attention to it. How
ever, my stomachwas out of order and my
food Otter failed to digest, causing at times
great Inconvenience. Yet lhad no idea,
even as a physician, that these things
meant anything serious or that mon
strous disease was becoming fixed upon
me. Candidly, Thought / was suffering
from Malaria, and so doctored myself &C
/ cordingly.A But got no better. l 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 persistent froth and
scum appeared upon the surface, and a
sediment settled in the bottom. And yet !
did not realize my danger, for, indeed, see
ing Theses symptoms continually, finally
became accustomed to them, and my sus.
! picion was wholly disarmed by the fact
that had no pain In the affected organs OF
in theirvicinity. Why should have been
| so blind can not understand
There is terrible future for all physical
neglect, and impending danger always
! brings person to his senses, even though
it may then be too late. Irealixed, at last,
my critical condition and aroused myself
| to overcome it. And, OIL how hard
| triedi / consulted the best medical skill
! in the land. visited all the prominent
mineral springs in America, and travelled
from Maine to California. Still l grew
| worse. No two physicians agreed as to
| my malady. One said l was troubled with
spinal irritation; another, nervous pros
| tration; another, malaria; another, dys-
| ypepsia; another, heart-disease; another,
| general debility; another, congestion OF
! the base of the brain; and so on through a
| 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 symptoms I at first experienced
were developed into terrible and constant
| dlsorders-the little twigs of pain had
| grown to oaks of agony. My weight had
been reduced from 207 to $50 pounds
| My life was q torture to myself and
| friends. could retain no food upon my
stomach, and lived wholly by injections.
was living mass of pain. Ny pulse was
uncomfortable. In my agony frequently
fell upon the floor, convulsively clutched
the carpet, and prayed for death. Nor
phine had little or no effect in deadening
the pain. For six days and nights | had
the death-premonitory hiccoughs con-
stantly. Ny urine was filled with tube
casts and albumen. was struggling with
Bright's Disease of the kidneys in its last
gtageo.