The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-08-28
BANCROFT.
ARSENIC As A MEDICINE.
ELEANOR KiRK'S LETTER.

7S6 Lafayette-ave. Brooklyn, June 49, 1889.
Among the questions Just received is the follow
ing from a new correspondent: "You inveigh so
strongly against arsenic In face and scalp lotions"
the lady writes, 'that am anxious to know what
you think OF II as medicine In the hands OF
scientific physician"
exceptional cases, as IS also strychnine, and L
have no call to critcise 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? have case
IN nm mind now, yea, verify. case right under my
cose in point, and will answer my correspond
ent's question practically. stubborn cough,
and alarming expectoration, and general break
ing down OF the whole system-certainly a c0ndi-
tlon alarming In every respect. The best physi-
visers. go and see my DOCTOR" they said. He
Is specialist In pulmonary troubles, and will
balld 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 onr Iegs TSe sst resnt as
Just what knew it would be-the, inability Of the
stomach to retain food. This cut on the last
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
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, II 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
uents and the patients u private physicians was
most remarkable. had seen patients brought
rom 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
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
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 back to health. do, however, sincerely
bellies that my inference is correct one. Well as
everything else had been tried. and the patient
was about so far on the down grade as 1t was pas
slble Tor him TO go without a funeral, 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-
tremlties 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 10 my own family, that Murdock's
FOOD VIII Dulld 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
ana 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-
tritye supply must be equal 10 the demand.
- ELEANOR KIRK:
aus MW&Stf