The Portland daily press., 1889-09-19
ARSENIC AS A #EDIeIsE.
ELEANOR KiRK'S LETTER.

1855 Lafayette-ave. Brooklyn, June %, 1889.
Among the questions Just received Is the follow
ing from new correspondent: "You inyeigh so
strongly against arsenic In face and scalp lotions"
the lady writes, "that am anxious TO know what
you thlnk OF 1t as a medicine In the hands OF a
scientific physician"
exceptional cases, as IS also strychnine, and
have no call TO critcise the work OF scientific
physician, but have seen more mischief result
from the use OF arsenic than could tell II wrote
week. Does 1t stand TO reason that the use OF
such deadly drugs can be salutary? l have a case
IN mind now, yea, verify. case right under my
eyes and very dear to my heart, which Is certainly
cose in point, and will answer my correspond
ents question practically. stubborn cough,
and alarming expectoration, and general break
ing down OF he whole system-certainly a cOndk
ton alarming In every respect. The best physi-
clans mad been tried In vain. But Job had his ad-
visers. go and see my DOCTOR" they said. "He
Is q specialist in pulmonary troubles, and will
build you right up" SO the poor patient dragged
himself TO the last one recommended and re-
turned with four prescriptions, one containing ar
senic. and one strychnine, besides various other
ever walked on four legs The drst result result was
Just what knew 1t would be-the inability OF the
stomach TO retain food. This cut of the last
hope, for II The poor, weak body could not pc
nourished, II there could be no slight opposition
made TO the rapid decay OF the tissues the outlook
was certainly not cheering. Al last, however, the
consumer OF these poiS0DS realized his danger and
threw the deadly stuff away. Now, physicians
had utterly failed to benefit this case and my adj
up, If possible, on good nourishing food. Circum-
stances had made me daily visitor at one OF our
finest hospitals for some months, and the contrast
between the treatment OF majority OF these pa
tients and the patients Of private ply sicans was
most remarkable. had seen patients brought
from the operating rooms after most serious work,
and In some cases put ON full diet, without a
drop of Observation-Disclosures Liquid Food was
administered with common diet three or four
times day. This is an extract Of beef, mutton
and fruits, containing blood eorpuseles, soluble
albumen, and Is perfectly free from drugs, MINER
ais, acids and salts. Do rot forget that in the
most OF these cases no medicine was given. It
may have been an Illogical and an unjust inter-
ence, but could not help the thought that these
hospital patients must be got rid Of TO make room
for others who were waiting, and that as medi-
cine would retard their recovery, they We're given
nursed cack to health. 1 do, however, sincerely
bellies that my inference is correct one. Well as
everything else had been tried. and the stient
was about so far on the down grade as it was pas
stble for him to go without funeral, L suggested
the hospital treatment, May 20, and 1t was adopt
ed with results that were little less than magical.
Unless than two weeks there was a decided
change IN the condition and appearance of the pa
TENT Every bad symptom was modified. The
gain continued, with now and then slight re-
lapse J OF course a system reduced TO such ex-
tremities conld not be expected to rally without
an occasional protest-but that was not discour-
aging. When the patient commenced to gain In
weight. then | knew that common sense had
triumphed. Now, knew from my hospital ex-
perience, and this remarkable experience OF one
months use in my own family, that MurdOck's
Food will build up the tissue, enrich the blood
and strengthen the muscles and nerves. AS
SAID before. in desperate cases, arsenic may be
called for but its use Is altogether toOcommOn Men
and women take medicine because they are too
lazy or too ignorant to take proper food. When
the situation becomes alarming, then the friends
of the patient lose their heads and forget that
drugs will not answer for food, and that the nII-
trltiye supply must be equal 20 the demand.
ELEANOR KIRK.
aus MW&Su