Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-02-13
A TERRIBLE CONFESSION
A Physician Presents Some Startling
Facts.
Can it Be that the Danger Indicated
is Universal.

The following story-which is at
tracing wide attention from the press
is so remarkable that we cannot eX-
cuse ourselves if we do not lay it be-
fore our readers entire:
To the Editor of the Rochcster(N. W Dem
ocrat:
SIR On the first day of June,
1881, | lay at my residence in this
city surrounded by my friends and
waiting for death. Heaven only
knows the agony then endured, for
words can never describe it. And
yet, if few years previous any one
had told me that | was to be brought
so low, and by so terrible disease, |
should have scoffed at the idea.
had always been uncOmmonly strong
and healthy, and weighed over 200
pounds, and hardly knew, in my own
experience, what pain and sickness
were. Very many people who will
read this statement realize that they
are tired and cannot account for it.
They feel dull pains in various parts
of the body aud do not understand
why. Or they are exceedingly hun
Cry one day and entirely without APP
petite the next. This was Just the
way | felt when the relentless malady
which had fastened itself upon me
first began. Still l thought nothing
of it; that probably had taken a
cold which would soon pass away.
Shortly after this noticed a heavy,
3 and at times neuralgia, pain in one
3 side Of my head, but as it would come
one day and be gone the next, | paid
little attention to it. Then my stom-
ach would get out of order and my
food fail to digest, causing at times
great inconvenience. Yet, even as a
physician, did not think that these
things meant anything serious. l
fancied | was suffering from malaria
and doctored myself accordingly.
But | got no better. | next noticed a
peculiar color and odor about the
fluids | was passing-alsO there were
large quantities one day and very lit
tie the next, and that a persistent
froth and scum appeared upon the
: surface, and sediment settled. And
: yet | did not realize my danger, for,
indeed, seeing these symptoms con-
tinually, l finally became accustomed
to them, and my suspicious were
=, wholly disarmed by the fact that
- had no pain in the affected organs OF
in their vicinity. Why should have
been so blind / cannot understand
l consulted the best medical skill
in the land. | visited all the famed
mineral springs in America and trav
? eled from Maine to California. Still
V / grew worse. No two physicians
#, agreed as to my malady. One said
was troubled with spinal irritation
n another, dyspepsia another, hear
: disease; another, general debility
l. another, congestion of the base of TIT
brain and so on through long lis
O of common diseases, the symptoms 0
% many of which | really had. In thi
way several years passed, during
which time was steadily growing
y worse. My condition had really be
! come pitiable. The slight symptom
at first experienced were developed
:, into terrible and constant disorders
. My weight was reduced from 2O7 t.
~ 1870 pounds. My life was burden t
-, myself and friends. / could retail
>. no food on my stomach, and live
wholly by injections. | was a living
:, mass of pain. My pulse was uncon
~ trollable. In my agony | frequentl.
fell to the floor and clutched the cal
49, pet, and prayed for death Morphin
% had little or no effect in deadenin
the pain. For six days and nights
- had the death-premonitory hiccough
- constantly! My water was file
~ with tube casts and albumen. / wa
- struggling with Bright's Disease c
81 the kidneys in its last stages!
~ While suffering thus ] received
- call from my pastor, the Rev. ID
. Foote, at that time rector Of st. Paul
49, Episcopal church, of this city. fel
. that it was our last interview, but i
. the course of conversation DIR. Foot
~ detailed to me the many remarkabl
~. cures of cases like my own which ha
y come under his observation. AS
~ practicing physician and Il gradual
-, of the schools, / derided the idea {
=, any medicine outside Of the regula
~ channels being in the least beneficial
So solicitous, however, was ID