Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-23
Tho unrrnrs OF Chlarsfiisrn.

IA Family Doctor, In Cassell's Magazine
"a decided case OF phthiss," said to
myself as soon as | entered the room, and
saw my patient lying on his back in bed.
"Advanced stage, too"
"Do you cough very much 20 asked.
~ don't cough at all" he replied. but
/ am diving by inches for all that. | don't
know that | shall ever leave this bed alive,
and II is perhaps for the best, for l suffer
feariully. You do not see me at my worst
now. but at my best. 1t is toward evening
my dreadful distress begins-the restless
ness. the Undesirable gnawing, tearing,
and dragging at my heart. And this con-
tinues TIL o O'Clock, when l take my
draught. then it is all over; | sink into a
sleep, and l am as dead as a stone until
morning"
"Your draught?" said, feeling the
pulse, which was soft, feeble, and SOW.
.'What draught?" He merely mOtioned
with his head to a table that stood handy
to the bed. took bottle up. 1t contained
some white crystalline substance in large
scales. / smelt il.
"Why," said. "this is choral. You
surely don't take much OF this? 1t Will
Kill YOU"
He smiled family and sadly. cit has al
ready done its work. take two drachms
night. II have ray OF hope, Doctor, 1t
is centred in you. I've heard you are a
practical man. DO with me as you will"
81 am a practical man." l replied
every" | put the bottle OF chloral into
my pocket as | spoke, and buttoned my
coat.
shall never forget the despairing look
be gave me.
al must not give It up all at once. Sure
ly, Doctor, you do not know what | shall
sufltrl Pain will be no name for it; tor
tuTe, torment. no NAME"
Eyes, all at. once" 1 insisted. alt is
your only chance. Choose that or DEATH
ut seems TO me-" he murmured, cit is
life or DEATH"
at is, indeed, life or DEATH" replied.
"Do as l wish you 10, submit yourself en-
tirely TO me, and, with Gods help, will
raise you again, and soon, from that bed OF
sickness, and you will be once more a
man." From that very moment / had
hopes Of the case. For il chloralist can
once give up the habit he has no desire 10
resume IL.
All that night sat up with my unhappy
patient. His sufIerings were dreadful TO
witness. II was the tearing and gnawing
at tie heart that he complained OF most. 1t
was like an immense crab eating his very
yitals, he said. How he tossed and moaned
and raved, sometimes hanging with head
| down out Of the bed for little relief, pitt
! fully moaning all night
| He slept little during the next day, and
| took little nourishment. A salutary dlar-
rh9s took place, and he was reduced in
every way TO mere shadow. On the fifth
evening offered him dose Of choral.
"Not II were to be made prince OF
the realm" he said. "wOud l swallow
one grain of the dreadful poison"
"What made you commence the habit 2"
1 asked one day.
al had bad TOOTH" was the answer.
The reply only shows the truth Of what
have already said, that the most trifling
excuse is often sufficient TO induce people
to NEEDLE with death-dealing narcotics.
Do not imagine that my patient got bet
ter all at once after giving up the use OF
the choral. No, nor did he soon. During
the first few weeks the state OF his mind
was one OF what might term morbid Joy
fulness. lie had escaped out OF the Jaws
Of death, and there was mental elatedness
in consequence. But this soon gave place
to fits OF the greatest and darkest despond-
ency. They did not last very long, sell
dom more than day, and In this lay
my hope Of being able TO thoroughly
restore him TO at leas! fair state OF health
fulness. This condition OF mind lasted for
months, but, although weaE in body, he
he was able TO take u considerable amount
Of exercise in the open air, and he was
able to read at home. During the latter
stages OF the ehloralism he could neither
read nor write without the greatest suffer-
Ing. His exercise was walking, and ] took
pains TO see that he always went some
where with some special object In view,
for do moi believe In what call circular
walking exercise, simply going out GER
tain distance and coming back again.
Paying q visit Of ceremony TO distant
milestone does not constitute healthful
walk.
The first real sign Of returning health In
my Responding patient was his ability TO
sleep tolerabiy well; the second, the desire
he began TO eyipce TO be once more en-
gagged in sctiye pursuits. This desire he
evlnced In q singular way. He supplied
himself with q box of mysteriously -smali
tools. and often found him, day after day,
working At the table, with magnifying