Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-02-29

When | was nineteen I weighed 122
pounds; now weigh $50; am all filling
up with fat. can hardly breathe. The
best young man that ever lived loves me.
and has been on the point Of asking me to
marry him, but of course he sees am
growing worse all the time, and he don't
dare to venture. can't blame him. He
is the noblest man in the world, and could
marry any one he chooses. 1 don't blame
him for not wishing to unite himself to
such great tub as I am. Why, Doctors
you don't know how fat I am. l am sight
to behold. And now / have come to see
if anything can be done. l know you
have studied up all sorts of curious sab
jects, and thought you might be able to
tell me how to get rid of this dreadful
curse.''
She had been talking faster and faster.
and with more and more feeling latter the
manner Of fat women, who are always
emotional), until she broke down in hys-
terical sobs.
inquired about her hablts-table and
otherwise. She replied:
''Oh, 1 starve myself; I don't eat enough
to keep canary bind alive, and yet l grow
fatter and fatter all the time. don't
think any thing can be done for me. We
all have our Affections, and suppose we
ought to bear them with fortitude. ]
wouldn't mind for myself, but its just
breaking his heart; if it wasn't for him
could be reconciled."
l then explained to her our nervous sys-
tenn, and the bearing certain conditions
of one class of nerves have upon the dis
position of adipose tissue. soon saw she
was not listening. but was mourning her
sorrow. Then asked her if she would be
willing to follow a prescription might
give her.
Willing2 willing ?' she cried, II
would be willing to 90 through fire or to
have my flesh cut off with red hot knives.
There is nothing would not be willing
to endure if I only could get rid Of this
horrible curse.''
I prepared prescription for her, and
arranged that she should call upon me
once week, that might supervise her
progress and have frequent opportunities
to encourage her. The prescription which
was read to her was this:
1. For breakfast eat piece of beef or
mutton as large as your hand, with slice
of white bread twice as large. For dinner.
the same amount of meat, or. If preferred
fish or poultry, with the same amount of
tarnaceons or vegetable food in the form
of bread potato. For supper. nothing.
2. Drink only when greatly annoyed
with thirst; then mouthful Of lemonade
without sugar.
8. Take three times week some form
of bath, in which there shall be immense
perspiration. The Turkish bath is best.
You must work. either in walking or
some other way, several hours day.
But, Doctor, can't walk; my feet are
sore."
81 thought that might be the case; but
if the soles Of your shoes are four inches
broad, and are thick and strong, walking
will not hurt your feet. You must walk
or work until you perspire freely, every
day in the week. OF course you are in
delicate health. with little endurance, but
as you have told me that you are willing
to do anythlrg, you are to work hard at
something six or seven hours every day."
4. You must rise early IN the morn ing
and re1ire late at night. Much sleep fat
tens people.
1.-THE terrible corset you have on, which
congresses the center of the body, making
you look great deal fatter than you real
ly are, must be taken off and you
must have corset which any dressmaker
can fit to you-a corset for the lower part
of the abdomen, which will raise this
great mass and support it.
This is all the advice have to give
you at present. At first you will lose half
pound day. In the first three months
you will lose from twenty to thirty pounds.
In six m onths. forty pounds. You will
constantly improve in health, and get
over this excessive emotion, and be much
stronger. Every one knows that very
fat horse weighing 1000 pounds, can be
quickly reduced to 1000 pounds, with
great improvement to activity and health.
1t is still easier with a human beng
That you may know what is being done,
wish you to be weighed; write the figures
in your memorandum book, and one week
from now, when you come again, weigh
yourself and tell me how much you
have lost.''
I happened to be out of the city, and
did not see her until her second visit, two
weeks from our last meeting. 1t was plain
when she entered that already her system
was being toned, and when we were again
10 my private office, she SAID
81 have lost SIX and a half pounds; not
quite as much as you told me, but am
delighted, though nearly starved. I have
done exactly as you prescribed and will
continue to do so if it kills me. You must
be very careful not to make any mistakes.
for shall do just as you say. At first the
thirst was dreadful. l thought I could
not bear it. But now have very little
trouble with that"
About four months after our first meet
ing this young woman brought handsome
young man with her, and after pleasant
chat she said to me:
1--WE are engaged; but have told my
friend that [ shall not consent to become
When came to you I weighed $50 pounds;
1 now weigh 1913 pounds. I am ten times
as strong. active and healthy as I was
then, and have made up my mind, for
my friend has left it altogether to me, that