The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-09-11
ARSENIC AS A MEDICINE.
ELEANOR KiRK,S LETTER.

7S6 Lafayette-ave. Brooklyn, June 20, 1885,
AmoBg the questions Just received is the follow
Ing from new correspondent: "You inyegh SO
the lady writes, that am anxious to know what
you think Of II as medicine In the hands Of
scientific physician"
Arsenic is no doubt very valuable remedy in
exceptional cases, as is also strychnine and /
have no call to criticise the work Of Scientific
physician" but have seen more mischief result
from the use OF arsenic than could tell If wrote
week. Does 1t stand to reason that the use OF
such deadly drugs can be salutary? l have a case
eyes and very dear to my heart, which is certainly
cose In point, and will answer my correspond
ents question practically. A stubborn cough,
and alarming expectOration, and a general break
ing down OF the whole system-certainly condl
clans had been tried In vain. But Job had his ad-
vlsers. go and see my DOCTOR" they said. "He
Is specialist In pulmonary troubles, and win
build you right up" SO the Door patient dragged
himself to the last one recommended, and re-
turned with four prescriptions. one containing ar
senic and one strychnine. besides various other
drugs that would kill the strongest animal thar
ever walked on four legs. The first result was
lust what knew 1t would be-the inability of the
hope, for If the poor, weak body could not be
nourisbed, II there could be no slight opposition
made to the rapid decay of the tissues the outlook
was certainly not cheering. At last, however, the
consumer OF these posons realized his danger and
threw the deadly stuff away. Now, physicians
had utterly failed TO benefit this case, and my ad-
vice was TO stop every kline of medicine, and build
up, If possible, on good nourishing food Crcum-
stances had made me daily visitor at one OF our
between the treatment of majority of these pa
tients and the patients OF private ply sicians was
most remarkable. l had seen patients brought
from the operating rooms after most serious work.
and In some cases put on full diet, without
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 cOrpusces soluble
albumen, and is perfectly free from drugs miner
ais, acids and salts. Do not forget that in the
most of these cases no medicine was given IL
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 were given
no medicine, but were Just simply and naturally
nursed lack to health. do, however, sincerely
bellies that my inference is a correct one. Well as
everything else had been tried, and the patient
was about so far on the down grade as it was pas
sible for Him to go without a funeral L suggested
the hospital treatment May 20, and IL was adOpt-
ed with results that were little less than magical.
In less than two weeks there was decided
change In the condition and appearance of the pa
tient. Every bad symptom was modified. The
gain continued, with now and then q slight re-
lapse-of course 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 L knew that common sense had
triumphed. Now, knew from my hospital ex-
perlence, and this remarkable experience of one
montn'S use In my own family, that Murdock's
Food Will build up the tissue, enrich the blood
and strengthen the muscles and nerves. As
SAD before, IN desperate cases. arsenic may be
called for but Its use Is altogether toocommOn MeE
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-
tritiye supply must be equal 20 the demand.
ELEANOR KIRK. :.
aus MW&Su