Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-04-26
4 LONG PERIOD OF PAIN.
Death After Twenty.three Years OF
Agony.
New York Sun.

New York SUM-
A wealth of roses, pink, white and yell
low, in place of the usual sombre Grape
symbol of death, hangs on the bell-knOb
of 1872 Lafayette avenue, Brooklyn, where
lies the worn and wasted body of DIR.
Charles F. Reed, to whom indeed, death must
have been a relief. For twenty-five years
and six months helpless invalid, DR.. Reed
was in addition, so great sufferer that it
was marvel that he lived at all. The
catalogue of human ills was complete in
one number with him, but he disp' aged a
degree of fortitude, Christian resignation
and cheeriness that made wonderful i'm
preston upon all who visited him. No one
could have this experience without acquir-
ing valuable feeling that this worlds
troubles are, after all, of little moment.
From a medical standpoint DIR. Reeds
case interested the profession of the coun-
try and of the world. He had achieved an
excellent standing as physician, IN
the community, when in 1864, he was
attacked with dysentery, his system being
all run down in consequence of OverwOrk
and excessive study. A few days treat
ment conquered the original disease, but in
the meantime sciatica, that was in his sys-
tenn by heredity, developed itself Eight
years of helplessness and agOnizing suffer.
ing followed, and in 1872 he had an attack
of cerebrO spinal meningitis. The patients
pitiable condition became even worse.
Muscular distortion and wearing spasms
were suffered. At times sleep was impOs-
sible, unless attendants held by force the
writhing body and distorted limbs of the
sufferer. The appetite became impaired
for the first time, and the digestive
functions seemed to be destroyed
Inflammation of the joints was the next
complication, and for year and half the
slight jar of a careless tread on the floor
near him was productive OF such excruci-
ating agony that he would faint away and
lie as if dead for hours.
In 1873 a rash, which had broken out
on the patients body, was communicated
to his eyes, and total blindness was added
to his other Affections. This result was
first apparent after a series of electric
shocks suffered by DR.. Reed during thun-
derstorm in April of that year. He de-
scribed the shocks as similar to those re-
ceived from Leyden jar. His faculties re-
mained unimpaired, his mind being re-
markably clear and his spirits good.
In 1880 the practice of taking him into
the country was begun and he has spent
every summer since in Vermont, near Rut-
land The effect was an improvement of
the digestive and nervous systems, but
none in his rheumatic troubles. He re-
mained perfectly helpless and blind. Dur
ing all this time his wife, a slight and
physically frail woman, took almost the
entire care OF him. In this she was as
sisted by device that he had planned and
described 80 that it could be built, by which
she could lift him out of the bed uDaided.
The wifes devotion was scarcely less re-
markable than the husbands fOrtitude.
He was unable to make any motion
beyond an almost imperceptible one of the
shoulders. which enabled him to pull a
bell-chord fixed within his reach. and a
slight nodding motion of the head. His
jaws were so firmly set that only liquids
could be given him for nourishment, and
these with difficulty. About year ago
the decay of his teeth and the exposure of
the nerves of four of them added to the
sufferings of the unfortunate. 1t was
weeks before dentist was found who, by
pulling the front teeth, was able to get at
the ones affected, and kill the diseased and
throbbing nerves.