Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-12
ALMOST FATAL FALL.
An Evening Leader" Grand
Rapids Newsboy Sustains
Serious Injury.
Brief History of a Brave Little Eel
lows Patient Suffering.

1t will be year in November since one of
the brightest faces among the Evening
Leaders throng of happy newsboys was sud-
denly missed from his regular daily visits at
the counting rooms. His rosy cheeks and
sparkling eyes, full of fun and enthusiasm,
Intensified by the knowledge that he was
earning money by his own efforts, made him
a conspicuous figure among his host of little
competitors.
By inquiry it was learned that the little
business man (whose name is Gilbert G. Nc
Donald) had sustained painful and probably
! fatal injuries by falling from fence post,
while playing near the home of his father,
John Mcdonald, at 4S7 South Ionia street.
Since that time up to last March the little
limbs and body, finally becoming con-
firmed and helpless invalid. In vain did
anxious parents seek the medical profession
for help; the best talent was Poweriess.
broken parents and sympathizing friends
called to watch the terrible agony of the lit
tie wasted body, expecting every moment to
see their precious one torn from them by
the dread destroyer.
1t was with this knowledge of the case,
together with the fact that this same little
boy is now happy youth among his play
fellows that the Leader, with natural in
terest for one of its many newsboys, gives
its readers q brief history of his terrible
sickness and miraculous recovery as related
by his parents and their neighbors.
THE MOTHERS STORY.
Mrs. Mcdonald was seen at her home yes
terday, and that lady told the story of her
sons sickness and final recovery with that
interest only to be found in a mothers heart.
Gilbert was present, and apparently en-
Joyed retrospective history OF himself:
colbert will be II years old in October" "
said Mrs. Mcdonald, "and were you familiar
with his past sufferings, you would consider
1t miracle that he is with us to-day. His
sickness was caused by the accidental fall
from post, striking on his head and hip,
last November. After the accident he grad
ually lost the use of his limbs until he was
unable to move hand or foot. We employed
several good physicians, but he grew worse,
becoming perfectly. paralyzed; there was
no feeling in his limbs. The doctors run
pins into his legs and arms and he could not
feel its His hair stopped growing, became
swollen nI and soeechless: @ he could not e EVEN
move his eyelids. He would go into convul-
sions for hours and suffer the most terrible
agony. Shortly before we employed the doc
convulsion at oclock in the morning, last
ing until o'clock at night. / sent for my
husband at the cable company's power
house, and we looked every moment to see
him die That night my husband noticed in
the Evening Leader the advertisement of
the Electrical and Medical Institute, and al
though one doctor told us that electricity
would kill him he resolved to try 1t, as every
other resource had been exhausted. He
went down and consulted with the medf-
cal director of the Institute. The doctor
came and examined the case and informed
us that If the brain was not too badly af-
fected he could cure him. For ten days be-
fore the doctor camehe had been entirely
speechless and as q dead person, at no time
giving any signs of recognition. That night
the doctor treated him, and the next morn
ing he was better, speaking for the first time
in ten days. You may well imagine my feel
ing Of gratitude and Joy as I saw my boy re-
doctor said: Your boy will play ball in
three months from now 1 cherished that
promise close to my heart and watched its
fulfllment. He grew better right along, his
the very first treatment. and now he plays
ball with his associates and has been up
since the first of June. The doctors COM
March,"