Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-01-31
A Lonly Death.
Detroit Free Press.

| IL Was ftCIc III 1JGtEOitt at OfiC
the city hospitals, that saw tn
saddest funeral ceremony that
ever had occasion TO witness.
1t was that of a woman who hat
literally died by inches. Poverty
sorrow and sickness had been he
constant companions for years
| And wheI on a hospital bed sht
drew her last breath, it seemed as ]
there could be nothing left to fee
| the pang of misunderstanding bu
skin and bones. ag
She had been well cared for IL
her last sickness by those who gave
! their time and services to the work
of charity, but it is doubtful If she
knew it. Her mind lived in the
past, and she murmured in a de-
lirium of happy home and seemed
always to be caressing a little child.
Now she would talk TO il in fond
mother-tongue, using endearing
| language of love to call it TO her
again she would seem to dread
some terrible fate for it, and be-
sought God to save it, even to take
ii away from the evil TO come.
Always it was the child that was
present with her, so that pain was
naught-the child that she continu-
ally addressed as Darling Emma,
and she died with that name on her
lips. ..M
This was all there was of the
woman's history. The pail of a
dark past had fallen upon her. 1t
was only known that the child
about whom she raved and prayed
was still alive, somewhere in the
city But so far all search had failed
to find her.
The brief funeral services-at the
expense of the city, for hers was a
pauper burIal-were held in the
large parlors of the hospital. A
young clergyman, who had just
entered upon his work, the assis-
tants of the hospital. the Hndertak-
ers, hats in hand, and one or two
strangers, were all who were pres
ent. The dead woman lay in q
highly varnished pine coffin, from
which the metal shells were already
falling in showers OF tawdry splen-
dor, so imperfectly were they fas-
tened on. Her face was compos-
ed and peaceful. Life and death
had done their Worst-the battle
was over.
In the chill and silence the voice
of the young minister, cultured and
tuneiul, sounded like music. All
heads bowed as he recited
'I am the resurrection aud the life.'
There was a scream-a wall of
heart-rending grief, and the services
were interrupted, as woman,
young and haggard, rushed into
the room and threw herself upon
the coffin, she was dressed gaiIy in
silk attire. A long feather dangled
from gaudy hat-everything about
her bespoke a death sadder than
that Of the coffin.
"Mother, mother" she moaned,
why did you not let me know?
Oh, would have come to you and
worked my fingers 10 the bone
to save you On, mother, mother,
come back to me just to say you
forgive me2 1t is Emma +. Oh,
my Godi 1t is too latel She will
never speak to me again J"
Plying friends drew the frenZIed
woman away. In moment she
had dashed them away and lean
ing again over the dead mother
she pressed her lips once-twice-
thrice TO the cold lips of the dead.
Then she clasped her hands and
lifted her eyes to Heaven, while
her lips seemed to be recording a
vow. The wintry sun shone out
that moment from the western sky,
and touched with golden fingers the
sad, sad scene OF death, and the
minister resumed the services where
he had been interrupted, @.
81 am the resurrection and the life.''
Medicinal and NOn-medicinal Therapeutics
The following extract is from an
address, delivered at the First An
nual Meeting of the New York
State Medical Association by Prof.
Austin Flint, M. d..
The time will come when the
physician will not tie regarded
solely as therapeutISt, but rs a
medical counsellor, whose functions
embrace the preservation of health
and the prevention, not less than
the treatment, of diseases. Patients
will then congratulate themselves,
and be congratulated by their
friends, whenever it is decided by
the physician that potential drugs
are not called for; but, as it should
be added, drugs will then never be
withheld if, in the Judgment of the
physician, they are indicated. This
reformation, If may so call it, is
to be brought about by change in
popular ideas respecting the prac-
lice of medicine. Let the public
understand that drugs are not to be
employed, as a matter of course,
whenever a physician is consulted
or is in attendance. Let placebOS
be seldom il ever required for
moral effect. Let ii be understood
that, as modern clinical studies
have demonstrated, many diseases
end in recovery from an intrinsic
tendency and self-limitatioL. Let
it be popularity known that most
medicinal agents are curative, not
directly, but indirectly, by the re-
moval Of obstacles in the way of
recovery; that nature Is always the
efficient curative agent, and there
fore that the physician is natures
servant, not her master. Let the
value of medical science, in the
palliation OF suffering and the pro-
motion of the liberation OF diseases
which do not admit of recovery, be
fairly appreciated. Whe these de-
Sirable objects are accomplished,
the medical profession will hold a
position in public estimation higher
even than it now holds a more
elevated standard of medical educa-
ton will become necessity, and
the usefulness OF the profession will
be increased. Moreover, this refOr-
nation will prove the most efficient
of the means for the protection Of
the public against irregular and ille-
gitimate systems Of medical prac-
tice, and, as may be added, against
the unworthiness otthcse who claim
to be regular or legitimate pracei-
tioners. Themost popular of the
systems opposed TO legitimate
medicine and the regular profession
at the present time is based on the
assumption that diseases are con-
trolied by drugs, according little or
nothing 10 Il natural tendency to
recovery. Correct popular ideas OF
medicinal and non-medicinal thera-
peutics are Incompatible with conf
dence in this or any system OF prac-