The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-09-27
A TRUE STORY IN REAL LIFE.
Is LRE NORTH IIYIxal

1t was nrst uttered.
At ons time in my life determined TO
pursue the study of medicine. Circum-
| stances compelled me 70 abandon it as
profession, still had more or less prac
nes ameBg personal friends, sufficient to
bsep upny interest IN it.
One day received . visit from an old
friend, the Captain of coasting steamer.
He seemed much worried, and for a time
| made his visit anything but pleasant,
At last I said to him, Captain, you
seem TO be troubled about something, can
aid yon in any way?"
"Noi'' he replied shortly, sat least /
don't think you can, and 1 have pretty
good reasons for thinking So"
felt hurt for a moment, and rather
sngrily replied, "well, don't have to-"
"Of course you don't" he responded,
"but it is an internal shame, and it
makes me mad all though, when think
of the way that have been bled by lot
Of frauds, that call themselves doctors.
Then he continued rapidly, "you know
that boy of mine?" I nodded.
"Well, he has been serious tax upon
me for years, not that begrudge him
anything that he has cost me, but [ do
curse, every time think of the hund-
reds OF dollars, earned in the hardest
manner, disappearing into the pockets
OF men who promised much, only to do
the worst kind of damage in the end.
"NoW, have the cheerful prospect of
having an undertaker's bill to pay, be-
sides losing my boy" Bat, he added
that | ever will for medicine, and, as he
hos TO l.a fha ioly ha
"You have no right to talk in that way,
Captain. said L severely. "As long as
your boy lives, it is your duty to do
everything in your power to aid him."
"And haven't I2' was his response;
''what is the use of your talking, you
know just as much about curing him as
the rest of them; although" he added,
81 believe you have a conscience; the
| rest that l have had dealings with, don't
pan ont so we'll in that respect" 81 tell
you" he continued, "that boy is doom
ed; he will go just like his mother did,
and the doctors can write down in their
books Of fainres, 'one more death from
consumption, disease we know nothing
about"
He relapsed into a moody silence. At
last said, ''is your boy very low, Cap
| tain?"
''He can just crawl around" was his
| response, ''and what makes the matter
worse for ne, is the pitiful way in whicI.
he asks mo to try and DO somethirg for
him. However, he will be here after q
while, and | want you aa friend of mine,
| to tell me TO the best Of your knowledge,
how long you think he is going to last,
| so that can make my calculations.
While he was talking, saw the bov
| approaching, and just as he stepped into
| my office painting and gasping, from his
exertlon in walking, ] said to myself,
"the grip OF death is too firmly fastened
on you to be ever shaken off," After
| greeting him, at his fathers request, I
examined him and found him in the con-
dition that Ishall describe. He evident
ly Inherited consumption from bis moth
| er; bronchial tubes much thickened, so
much so as to make the operation of
| breathing extremely difficult and painful
Chest cavity much contracted; ausculta-
| ton and percussion showed extensive tn p
berculous deposits, and cavities, especial
| ~ IN the lsfs lobe of the lungs; body
| much snlaeiatsd and hloodless. In fact,
uDleae {ts nay mind soine nirsa1jous in
tervenhon occurred to stay the progress
| OF the disease, the patient could not sur
| vlye but few weeks. talked as cheer
| fully as | could to him, bnt he was too
| much depressed to pay much attention to
| anything but his suffering.
The father sent him to restaurant near
by, and turning to me he asked. "WelI,
| what is the verdict"
had been thinking rapidly, and as he
| spoke l had made up my mind to pro-
| cedure; as regards the boy, that deter
| mined to follow out. In answer to his
question, l said, captain, unless some
| thing is done for that boy, you will bury
him within amonth."
"Well what can be done2" he said ex
eatedly. "Do you want to try your hand
| IN experiments? Do you want some of
| my money too? Are you going to sicken
| him to death with rotten cod liver oil,
blister his skin with plasters, drug him
and rush him into his coffin2"
''Uold on, Captain" I replied: 81
| don't want yonr money, but l am going
| to try an experiment with your permis-
| SION. 1t is a matter of duty, and in his
| condition, can do no harm, if it does no
| good"
chow much is it going to cost?" he
| asked. 81 don't know" was nv reply.
Whatever it is" he rejoined, "will
| come out of your pocket, not mine" !"
Don't bother yourself, about that" said
l coldly. When the boy returned, he
seemed more exhausted than when he
first catered my Office, and as his father
| handed him chair, be said to his son,
'Del, the doctor here thinks he can do
yon some good. What do you say; do
| you want him to try2"
L shall never forget the look on the
boys face, and his words, and the head
ing of this article came forcibly into my
mind: lis Life Worth Living?" Evil
| deEtly it was to him, SIS it is to ali man
kind, when tortured with pain, with the
clammy hand of death encircling their
throats, they struggle in his relentless
| grasp, aud cry out in an agony of terror,
'for Gods sake, save me-" l put him
on nutritious diet, eggs and milk head
| ing the list, and provided him with a
| preparation Of medicine, that had new
CT used before, or ever expected to. 1t
was sheer experiment On my part, as
recklessly attempted as anything could
be. The result-immediate improve
ment in breathing, and general strength
| OF body; better color, improved spirits,
increased appetite, and an increase in
bodily weight that was astonishing.
AT the commencement of treatment he
weighed 80 lbs. In two months with
constant progress to health, his weight
| had increased to 100 lbs. In three months
he accepted q situation as an errand
boy, INDUCED in running, boyish games
of all kinds, well boy if ever there was
one. Ask him now if ''Life is worth liv-
ings" ''What was this wonderful prepar-
atioD2" do you ask. AS matter of right
you should know, and I solmnly swear
to the correctness of my statement.
The boy is still in the land of the liv.
ing, and well at that, and both he and
his father will back my statement.
| It was DIR, Pierce's Golden Medical