Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-23
9ai1u eagle
FROM WHITE TO BLACK.
a Perfect Blonde Becomes DARK
as the Ace Of Spades.
Peculiar Symptoms of a Victim OF Adoi'
sons Disease An Affection Which,
Fortunately, Is Extremely Rare
Science Sorely Puzzled.
TCincinnati Enquirer

TCincinnati Enquirer.l
In Rising Sun. Ind, on recent Sunday
morning. death brought TO a close a case
which has attracted keen interest and wide
spread attention, not only among the med
ical fraternity of that section, but also Of
Cincinnati. whittier the patient came a
short time since for treatment. The name
of the man was Stephen E. Seward. He
died of Addison's disease.
The remarkable feature Of Stewards case
was the gradual superventon of the dis
coloration of the skin, which although origi-
nally of fair complexion, eventually gave
him the appearance of a perfect type of
full-bloodod African.
The nature of this case was not compre-
hended until he visited the clinic OF the
Ohio Medical College on Sixth street two
months ago, when the case was recognized
as one of Addison's disease, or I" bronzed
skin" Seward was single man. ana at
the time of his death twenty-elght years
old He came of very healthy stock, both
of his parents being still alive, and ms an
cestors having all reached round old age.
He was employed up to six months ago as
laborer on his fathers farm. he was man
of fine physique and great strength, and up
TO that time had been able to perform an
immense days work About that tune
six months ago-he began to notlce that
even couple of hours exertion IN the heId
was followed by an understandable sense OF
WEAKNESS. Within two months after the
beginning of his disease this nconVen-
fence mad increased to such an extent as
TO unfit him for his work About this time
there was a gradual change in the color OF
his skin Before this discoloration began
- do Of folT
hair and gray eyes. In the beginning his
face became the color of ashes. He
grew darker and darker, until at length he
became a pronounced black, large guam
titles of the coloring matter being de-
posted on the skin of the face, neck,
shoulders, hands and forearms, and sub
seouently in all parts of the lntegument.
The mucous membrane of the lips, tongue
and of the mouth participated IN this dis
celebration. The physical appearance OF the
patient did not otherwise indicate the gray
itv of his disease. The muscles retained
their development, and there was but little
inanition. In the last four weeks RAPID
change for the worse set in, and death re-
suited IN little over six months after the
inception of the disease. This was an un-
usually rapid course, for, as rule, patients
who suffer from this disease hnger Tor
from two to five years, but always with
the grave as the inevitable. Altogether
not more than two hundred cases of this
peculiar disease could be collected from
medical literature The disease is one OF
comparatively recent recognition, as no
well marked case is recorded previous to
1923, when Loebstein, of Paris, discovered
the first known instance. The name by
which it is generally known-Addison's
disease-was given it after DR.. Addison, of
London. who in 1855 collected eleven cases,
only four of which, however, strictly
belong TO this category. 1t was DR..
Addison who first recognized the fact
that the peculiar discolored con-
dition of the skin is due to q
diseased condition of the supra
renal capsules minute bodies situated above
the kidneys, the physiological character OF
which has not vet been established. In Ad-
dison's disease these bodies referred to are
invariably found to be the seat of lnham-
nation, of consumption or OF cancer. 1t is
for this reason that the disease invariably
proves fatal. The patient may, for awhile,
improve, but the progress Of the case may
be compared to that of man who has an
inevitable staircase to descend he may
lipger or go back, but the descent is still to
be taken, and the best he can hope for Is to
s.Bronze skim may be said to be disease
of the laborlng class. Those who weld the
axe and toll with the shovel are almost al
WAYS its victims 1t is for this reason that
il attacks the male nearly twice as often as
the female Of the 1S3 cases recently col
lected by Greenhow, l19 occurred in males
and "a in females. Associated with the
.bronze skim and the accompanying mus
cular weakness are other symptoms, which
are more or less characteristic OF the dis
ease and which hasten the end. Most
prominent among them are severe pans ID
the abdomen, inveterate attacks OF vomlt
ing and diarrhsa, great difficulty In breath
ing, and, finally, commissions SO Tar
as the treatment Of the disease IS con-
cerned, there is none worthy OF the
name. Remedial agents have not yet been
discovered that can directly or indirectly
affect the diseased condition Of the supra
renal capsules, as the surgery OF the aldo
men does not lay claim 10 that domain Ii
is however, among the probabilities OF sue
cessful progress that In the near future IN
these cases which medicine can not reach
the knife will be resorted TO. Addlson's
disease must not be confounded with me-
lanosis, which also at times dlscolorS the
skin. but in which tum0rs, black as INK, OF
rapid growth, anu often IohoWcd ny ulcer
alton, cover the body. in Addisons dis
ease The skin is perfectly smooth. The
only resemblance between the two affec-
tons is the discoloration. in both diseases
those parts which are exposed to the air
and light turn darker than the rest of the
body. Seward was so black when at the
Clinic in Cincinnati that a physician, not
apprised OF the nature OF the case, seeing
HIM. inquired: ''Who is that colored mans
DR.. RansohofT, of this city, saw Seward IN
Rising sun, some weeks ago. He was al
that time able TO walk abroad The doctor
was quite surprised TO learn of his death
He thought there was a good year in him
vet