Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-21
ACCIDENT AS A HEALER.

1t Is not well to abandon nope, even
when the physician gives up his case. Of
course, it is wise thing to trust in the
doctor" There is nothing else to do, but
a recent case in Cincinnati proves the old
adage that while there is life there is hope,
and that accident may do that which the
highest medical skill cannot accomplish.
Lydia Jordan was striker with diphtheria
| Despite the most skillful treatment, she
grew steadily worse. The growth of a
false membrane in her throat finally led
the doctors to pronounce her in a most
critical condition. When this membranous
growth had so advanced that the young
lady could scarcely breathe; the air passage
had been closed until it was but about the
size of a knitting needle; her throat had
swollen fearfully, and she gasped for
breath and struggled for life, with every
bursting; the physicians, failing to find
in medical science any relief for her, told
her parents that the dread disease had
triumphed, and death was but a question
Of few hours at the utmost. The chief
of the doctors, on retiring, left vial of
medicine to be administered if her with
ings ceased sufficiently at any time to per-
nit it, in the hope to lessen the agony in
her last moments. The story runs from
that point the gamut of terrible suffering
for an hour. Finally the father and
mother saw the young woman was sinking,
her struggles grew feebler, and they seized
the opportunity 10 administer the potion
The room was ill-lighted, and the mother
took up what she supposed to be the medi-
cine, and by the aid of the girls father
succeeded in forcing it into her mouth.
Then ensued singular scene; the liquid
was instantaneous in its action. Says the
local account:
The girl writhed and quivered as She had not
| before. Her finger nails tore into the flesh.
| The veins fairly lesped from her skin. Her
| face grew black, and her wide, staring eyes
| fairly started from their sockets. No scream
| issued from the writhing lips 1t was the per-
|
| for minute. Suddenly there was a sharp,
cracking sound. The girls body lifted itself
| from the bed. There was a terrible gasp, a
| groan, and then a fit of rackiug coughing The
| swollen veins began TO Subside, the black color
| of the face changed to a dull red, the eyes
| slowly closed, and the girl began TO breathe
again. While this was happening and the girl
was at the very height of her suffering the
| mother looked at the bottle whose contents had
produced that terrible effect. To her horror she
discovered that, by mistake, she had given the
4 Crlr Ia nta NnrAin tftnn
| quantity to have suifocated well person.
The physicians were quickly recalled.
To their Amusement, the patient they ex-
pected to die within the hour, was breath
ing with comparative ease, ard the girl
was looking better than for several days.
| Her lips and mouth were terribly burned
by the dose, but her throat was very nearly
clear, and she had a pulse signifying re-
turning vitality. The false membrane had
been elected and most of it was found upon
the bed-clothing near her face. 1t was a
peculiar formation, nearly three inches in
length and half an inch in diameter, strong
and elastic and pierced by very small
hole. The Cincinnati facull pronounce
it medical curiosity. The young woman
has recovered, and she owes her life to
mistake. OF course it is not to be taken
from the experience in the Lydia Jordan
case, that it is wise to pour ammonia into the
Threats Of sufferers from diphtheria. Were
that attempted, as in her case, in most
others it might hasten death But it is
certain-for the vouchers for the recital
are reliable-the patient named owes her
life to-day to drastic dose of ammonia,
which gave her the precious breath of life
when medical science had abandoned hope