The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-09-06
ARSENIC As A MEDICINE.
ELEANOR KiRK'S LETTER.

7S6 Lafayette-ave. Brooklyn, June %, 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
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 "seientinc
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 a case
IN mind now, yea, verify, case right under my
cose in point, and will answer my correspond
ent's question practically. A stubborn cough,
that rested not by night or day. the most .profuse
and alarming expectoration, and general break
ing down OF the whole system-certainy condi.
tion alarming in every respect. The best phys-
yisers. $50 and see my Doctor" they said. "He
Is 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
drugs that would kill the strongest animal that
Just what knew it would be-the inability of the
stomach to retain food This cut off the last
hope. for II The poor weak body could not be
nonrished, 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, aud 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
tents and the patients of private ply sicians 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
albumep, and is perfectly free firm drugs, miner
ais, acids and Salts Do lot 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 max room
for others who were waiting, and that as medi-
no medicine, but were lust Simply and NATURALLY
nursed tack to health. do, however, sincerely
bellies that my inference is a correct one. Well as
everything else had been Lried and the tient
was about so far on the down grade as it was pas
sible for him to go without funeral, l suggested
he hospital treatment, May 90, and it 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 a 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
trumphed. Now, knew from my hospital ex-
perlence, and this remarkable experience of one
months use in my own family, that Murdocks
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 tooeommon, 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 ther heads and forget that
drugs will not answer for food, and that the nu-
tritiye supply must be equal 20 the demand;
ELEANOR KIRK.
aus MW&Stf