The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-08-19
ARSENIC As A MEDICINE.
ELEANOR KiRK'S LETTER.

1856 Lafayette-ave. Brooklyn, June 90 1889.
Among the questions just received is the follow
Strongly against arsenic in face and scalp lotions"
the lady writes, THAT am anxious to know what
you think of 1t as medicine in the hands of
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 1 could tell If wrote
week. Does 1t stand to reason that the use OF
such deadly drugs can be salutary? have case
In mind now, yea, verify, a case right under my
eyes and very dear to my heart, which is certainly
ent's question practically. A stubborn cough
that rested not by night or day, the most profuse
ana alarming expectoraton, and general break
ton alarming in every respect. The best physi-
clans had been tried In vain. But job had his adj
is specialist in pulmonary troubles, and will
build you right np." 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
drugs that would kill the strongest animal that
Just what knew it would be-the inability of the
stomach to retain food. This cut of the last
hope, for II the poor, weak body could not be
nourished, il 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 poisons realized his danger and
threw the deadly stuff away. Now, physicians
had utterly failed to benefit this case, and my adj
vice was to stop every kline OF medicine, and build
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 q private physicians was
most remarkable. had seen patients brought
from the operating rooms after most serious work,
and In some eases put on a 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 c0rpuscles. 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. 1t
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 rack to health do, however, sincerely
bellies that my inference is correct one. Well as
everything else had been ried and the itent
was about so far on the down grade as it was pas
sibe 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.
In less than two weeks there was decided
change IN the condition and appearance OF the pa
tlent. Every bad symptom was modified. The
gain continued, with now and then 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 / 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 fol, 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 nu-
tritive supply must be equal 70 the demand,
ELEANOR KIRK;