Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-06-19
The Story Of a Cancer.

The Story OF aCancer.
Tho New York papers, writes . core.
sp0ndent Of the Cincinnati Commercial
Gazette, have been remarking that the
late Frank Leslie. the we'll known pub
Usher, died of cancer OF the mouth and
throat, and that his disease WAS similar
to that from which General Grant IL suf-
fering. This is not strictly true. The
generals ailment IL ulcerous IN Its No
ture, eating into the skin and discharg.
ing Offensive matter. With Mr.. Leslie
there was no break Of the skin or dis.
charge Of any sort. 1t was . oancorous
growth upon the throat. The only
thing apparent to the eye In his case
was . slight swelling upon the gland Of
the neck. beneath the jaw, near the
jugular vein. There WAS no visible
breaking down Of tissue.
Mrs. Leslie herself told me how her
husband died. No detailed account OF
1t had ever been written, she said. and
1t would be Of interest now because OF
General Grants case. give the story,
a. far ~ may be, in her own olear.cut,
we'll chosen words. The musical voice,
the glance Of the eloquent eye, I cannot
reproduce.
Mr.. Leslie was man Of perfect ply
siQuo. He hac never suffered from an
ailment In his life. Five weeks before
his death he was ~ sound and strong
to all appearance as any man in
| America. He had failed in business
some time before, however, and had
| waded through Al ocean Of trouble. 1t
had not seemed to affect his health. He
said, sometimes:
my enemies are trying TO kill me,
but rs long as my digestion is good they
cant hurt me-"
"That reminds me-" said Mrs. L.,
cot something DIR. A. X. Gardner
wrote about the cause OF cancer ten
years before my husband died. 1t Ats
both his case and that OF General Grant
80 closely that It seems prophetic.
She read from . back numb Der OF the
Frank Laslie's illustrated Weekly tho
following:
"The origin of cancer may be looked
for in mental disquietude, and in that
worry and fret Of life under which 80
many strive.
ut seizes those whom misfortune has
Affected, and who have come down
from ease to reverse. do not mean want
Of food but inability to maintain the
old position, where there are strivings
and vain regrets and heart burninRs,
, that SORROW of heart which comes from
loss Of wife, children, and husband, OF
what is far worse, shame ut their un
wort Illness or sin. These prey upon
the imagination, destroy the appetite
: for food, drive away healthy sleep
weary the brain and nervous oentArs Of
. life, and poison the blood. To them thu
sun has no warmth, food no sweetness
, of taste ..or inourishment, and life NJ
Joy. Cancer comes TO visit thes'
sufferers and soon brings an end Il
their woes. 1t has not needed its hor
rors to wean one thus suffering from
life, but it makes death indeed wei
: come"
Al Cancer attacks the unfortunate ant
. those who have suffered intensely Ii
!. mind, ard been subjected to . grea
strain Of anxiety.
ri One morning, five weeks before hi
!. death, Mr.. Leslie said to his wife: IN.
/ collars feels tight. Put your hnger oil
. my throat, and see II there Is not som
70 kind of q swelling there %
She did NO, but could find nothing
, A few mornings later he asked he
D again to see IL his throat WAS not swell
!, ed. My collar seems to choke me,
n he said This time she detected upo
the neck small swelling, like CLAN,
N hardened and enlarged by cold. Their
J: was no pain, but he thought he had
"a cold, which had swollen his throa,
Mrs. Leslie made loop in his collari
) which let them out, and gave NOR
O. room. He went TO his office every day
x. Just ~ he had done for years.
Three weeks before his death Mr.
X Leslie herself did not feel we'll, on
le morning was little dyspeptic, an
9, proposed to consult physician.
Suppose you step around with M
y. and ask about your throat" she said.
" He agreed to do 30. After prescril
lis ing for the lady, the doctor looked ,
Mr.. Leslie's neck.
o| Take off your coat" he said " ar
a your vest
r. The PHYSICIANS face was entirely IN
passive.
~ "You might try electricity" he sal
10 Take 1t three times on alternate
days and then come back" The do
- tor knew then that his patient was
20 doomed man, but he said not q wor
~ The Leslies thought he treated 4
= matter lightly.
= The days went on till within t,
in weeks If the day he died. He and
wife were still ignorant Of the doc
-
great difficulty In swallowing. Then
~ said, i'm patiently
"my sore throat Is gettinRno bett'
eli The doctor is tampsring with me. 1
. Of not satisfied. l want consultation
ak or eight doctors.
!: DIR. j. Marion Sims was his person
"" friend of years. He asked him abe
Nj. the consultation, and requested him
m he present Dr. Sims said:
lay By all means, old boy, have It
ee, you like as many doctors az y
ha want"
aut The consultation was held. Or
ish more he removed his coat and vest
the doctors. They sounded him, qu
!. tioued him, and prodded his neck q
chest Then they went aside and COT
w. seled with one another. AT the end Of
all they said not word.
"They simply looked quiet" So
ers Mrs. Leslie. 1t was in December. A fl
days later, one sleety, snowy mornii
DIR. Thompson, the first physician W
had seen the patient, sent for Mrs. L.
ON lie. A thought shot through her bra
In ., like flash.
ny cit was the very first time had
the idea that my husband might be serio'
4 ly i'll. went to the physician and "a
Doctor, what did you send for me fl
Was 1t about Mr. Lsslie?"
10 "Yes," said he, i" 1t was. ! must I
IN you that this trouble Of his is OF "a CT