Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-03
People Afflicted With ALI Manner of
Chronic Complaints Travel
From Every Side to Be
TREATED BY FATHER MOLLINGER.
He Carefully Diagnoses Each Case. and His
Prescriptions Are Filled by
a Druggist.
SIGHT is RESTORED TO A BLIND BOY.
Rigid Attention to Religious Exercises EnjOned on
Both Catholics and Prutestants.
give dollars. "

Five dollars"
'Rather steep, eh2"
ssNot any sleeper than the HILL"
And the hack driver smiled at his feeble
joke as he helped his two passengers to
alight and assisted them to the door of q
boarding house under the shadow OF
Father Mollinger's church on Troy Hill
There were. q couple of rheumatic men
of middle age who had arrived from the
West last evening to benefit by the treat
medt of the venerable gentleman, whose
fame for restoring health in chronic cases OF
almost all kinds has extended far through
the country. But these two patients were
only a few of several hundreds who have ar
rived within the last few weeks, ana in all
about Is persons of all ages and descriptions
reached the hill yesterday to undergo treat
ment.
There are three boarding houses In close
proximity to the church which make a bust
ness of caring for Father Mollinger's visit
ors, but so great has been the number of ar
rivals of late that many private houses have
found II necessary to afford accommodation
for the travellers.
Every House on the Hill Crowded.
When DISPATCH reporter paid visit to
the hill, last evening, the boarding house
proprietors were preparing shake-downs in
parlors and halls, and every house was more
than filled to its capacity.
This is the time of year." said one land
lady, "when the visitors begin to grow
numerous, but this year more have arrived
than ever before. 1 am sure don't know
where they are all to find accommodation,
and 1 expect a good many will have to re-
main down in Allegheny"
Persons suffering from ailments of any
kind could not find more comfortable
quarters with more charming surroundings
than exist on Troy Hill. There is much of a
purely suburban air about the cozy houses,
shaded by heavily foliaged trees and shrubs,
and the character of the hospitality &C
corded the guests is spoken of in high terms
by the visitors. From the end of Clark
street view of the underlying valley, with
its busy cities, broad stream and verdant
hillsides, affords the visitors from afar oppor-
tunity for reflection, and a chance forsiZing
up the extent and Importance of the twin
cities. Despite their ailments, and often
keen suffering, Father Mollingers visitors
spend very pleasant time, and get more
good out of life while receiving Treatment
at his hands than they do at other times.
Much has been written about Father
Mollinger and his treatment of epilepsy,
rheumatism, neuralgia, lameness, blind,
ness and chroHic diseases in general
that has cast more or less of doubt on the
honesty of the reverend gentleman's cures.
1t may be stated at the outset that there is
nothing at all of the miraculous about his
treatment. He diagnoses each case with as
much care as any physician, and his pre-
scriptions are as intelligently written as
those of the profession.
Not All Catholic Patients.
Fully as many Protestants as Catholics are
attracted to him by his reputation, and,
while he treats both incidentally without
any distinction, he does make a differ
ence in the religious exercises
time which each person must remain is
three days, and this interval is only exceed
For example, in one house there is a young
lad who went there nine days ago, suffering
from absolute blindness brought ON by
fever. He conformed to all the regulations,
and Father Mollinger deemed it necessary
he should remain longer. The usual course
is to continue the medical treatment at
home, but this case Father Mollinger wished
to see to the end. Yesterday the lad could
see as perfectly, he declared, 'as you can,"
and the gentleman addressed sees perfectly
well.
The routine course is as follows: Mass is
celebrated at $50 O'Clock and $50 o'clock
the church is rot large enough to accom-
modate all the patients at one celebration
after which there is benediction, followed by
instructions from Father Mollinger as to the
religious exercises TO be performed during
the course of treatment. These, as
stated, are distinctive for Catholics and
PT9testapts but sos.tny they posses, possess for
firm belief and a strong conviction in the
efficacy of the treatment. Immediately
afterward, Father Mollinger begins to see
each patient, prescribing for each according
to his necessities These prescriptions are
filled by regular apothecary in Allegheny,
who sends wagon every evening with the
orders.
Yesterday Father Mollinger had a very
weary day. He saw people all day up to
o'clock, and when the druggists wagon ar
rived on the hill last night it contained medi-
cine for nearly 100 patients. The average for
the past few weeks has been about 20 a day.
The Number of Patients Treated.
1t was found impossible to get at an accu-
rate estimate of the number of patients at
present under treatment. Some people said
last night that there must have been 500 per-
sons in the church yesterday morning. This
may have been because the patients are gen.
orally accompanied by friends to take care
of them, but the number OF people under
treatment probably does not exceed $50.
They come from all sections of the country,
from Kentucky and Iowa to New York and
Maryland and Maine, and frequently parties
of from five to ten are formed in locality
to make the pilgrimage together. No case
has been known where the treatment has
failed to afford, at least, very great re-
lief, and many surprising cases of cure are
recorded. The reporter spoke with a man
last night who had been suffering from kid
ney disease for many years. BE had tried
three first-class physicians without effect,
and at last made up his mind to see Father
Mollinger. He assuredTHE DISPATCH re-
porter that he was already beginning to find
Dement, though the treatment naQ put just
commenced.
In one house there is man who was par
alyzed in his lower limbs, but was walking
about yesterday with facility. In another is
an old lady whose sight was restored to her.
Father Mollinger enjoins strict attention
to his instructions, and steadfastly refuses
to again see anyone who is guilty of a breach
of the observances. case was related last
night of a Protestant woman whom the
gentleman had cured of an all
ment. he desired her to perform certain re-
ligious exercises for a certain period. She
after an interval to be again
trealed, but when she admitted having
omitted the performance of the duty i'm
posed upon her, Father Mollinger would not
see her.
The healing priest was seen last night for
q few moments. He felt very fatigued after
his days work, and did not care to converse
much about his cure. He objected strongly
to statements which have been printed pur-
porting to be reports of ceremonies and
alleged cases of cures, in which the reverend
gentleman claimed he was placed in a very
false light before the public. He also dep
recated the statements made regarding
his health, and to the effect that he was far
from well. Certainly, Father Mollingcr now
looks as if he had still a firm hold on life,
and likely to retain it,
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