The Opelousas courier., 1883-09-22
STORY.
The Late Professor Palmer and His Pecu-
liar Experience.

The Late Professor Palmer and His pecu'
liar Experience.
In the Life of Professor Palmer"
who, it will be remembered, was killed
by Arabs when engaged upon a mid,
sion in connection with the late Egypt
ian war, there is a remarkable story
told of an event which happened to
him when a youth in London. He
was threatened with symptoms of pull
monary disease, and the doctors told
him that he had but a few months to
live. Believing this report, he gave
up his clerkship, and returned to his
aunt at Cambridge; and Mr.. Walter
Besant, who writes the Life" vouch-
es for what next happened.
| Therewas at a time certain herbalist
living at Cambridge, named Sherring-
ham. Now the profession Of herbalist
is one which still exists, and is even
extensively, though ~obscurely prac-
ticed, although ordinary people know,
as a rule, little about it. The follow
ers of the craft, in fact, preserve the
| old traditions concerning the efficacy
Of certain drugs and herbs, most of
which are quite common, and may be
gathered in the fields. There is no
disease which they do not profess to
cure by the administration of these
herbs, and their pharmaeopoeia is, or
used to be before the decay of the pro-
fession, very extensive. [ have been
assured bya physician that many Of
the herbs used bv herbaIists do actual
ly possess the valuable medical proper
ties attributed to them, though they
have been supplanted by other drugs
of more recent discovery and more eff
ficacious action. There are still, in
fact, thousands of people especially in
the great towns, who Woull not will
ingly consult any other doctor than the
herbalist, and they are strong believers
in the powers of majority, feverfew.
dandelion, camomile, and other plants
which the old women formerly gath
cred in the hedges for the curing Of
the village folks. The man Sherring-
ham was n Of the unlicensed prac-
titioners. Now, whether Palmer went
to consult him, or one of his friends
went, or, which is quite possible, he
himself knew Palmer andayolunteercd
his experience and skill, iknow not;
but at all events, he did listen to Sher-
bingham, did tssiSe his advice, and.did
follow the treatment recommended br
him. 1t was simple: it consisted s:a
single strong dose of lobclia. a herb
which produces ! am told, effects SINH
lar to those of hemlock. The patient
was first seized with q violent attack OF.
vomiting; then a cold chill laid hold of
his feet, and slowly mounted upwards;
it froze his limbs, which he could not
move, and struck his heart which
ceased to beat, and his throat, which
ceased to breathe. They had sent fer
a doctor by this time.
Il felt myself" he said, describing
this experiences, q felt myself dylng;I
was being killed by this dreadful cold
spreading all over mt. | was quite
certain that my last moments had ar-
rived. By my bedside stood my aunt,
poor soul, crying. | saw the doctor
feeling a pulseless wrist. watch in
hand; thecoId deWs Of death were on
my forehead; the cold hand Of death
was on my limbs. Or 70 my lips, but
nc higher, I thought / was actually
dead, and copldsee and hear, but not
speak, not even when the doctor let
my hand fall upon the pillow and said
solemnly, "He is gone r.
"sThere was no pain, except the feel
ing Of. intense cold" he used to. add,
nor was he in any concern. except
that he wished he had finished a GER
tain book he had began, and he won
dered whether id the next world he
would have a chance of finishing it.
1.-THE. act Of dying" he would say. sis
nothing to. what people think, I have
been dead myself, and ought tie know
And then?
Then he recovered. He recovered
suddenly. New strength came to him;
he not only got the better of this poi
son, butsthe lobelia, or something else,
got the better Of his disease. The
consumption was arrested, andhe was
no more troubled for the rest of his
life, except on one occasion, with any
more anxiety about his lungs. This
strange story is absolutely true, and
is known to all who knew Palmer at
that time.
she Took ssae Raeaseisse.
The doctor had loved her long and