Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-26
LIFE THROWN AWAY.
A Case From a Physicians Notebook
That Is Far Too Common.
WARNING WORDS FOR BUSY WOMEN
The Exquisite Nervous System Requires
Delicate Attention.
CONDITIONS OF SOILS AND HABITS
twRIrrKN roR THE prsPArcH.I


the faculty are earnestly discussing new
treatments of tuberculosis and grip. it is
time to study the lessons of common sense
In regard to health. The tendency of the
best minds is to accept the methods OF spe-
cialists with discrimination, to hesitate
| over singular treatment and follow more
| rigidly the lines of health, including those
| Of comfort.
The people have q right to know what
concerns their health and lives. Such
| questions interest them more nearly than
social topics or politics. It is time they
knew more about themselves the beating of
their own hearts, the condition of their own
blood, whether life or death giving-to the
| law and to the testimony on these things.
If 1 condense and translate the epics of doc
tors note books, 1t is believing that the
laity cannot know too much about matters
hitherto left in the exclusive Keeping of the
medical profession. 1t is no more safe or
just to do this than to leave our property
solely to the care of others. needless our
selves of the rates of interest or profit accru-
ing-a neglect which commonly leads to
ruin.
Story n Lost Life.
The following story is condensed from
both sides of the Atlantic. 1t is SO signih-
cant in its cautions, have chosen it for
! first lesson, spite OF its unhappy ending.
Read Alright it reiterates the hopeful ability
of the human system to resist repeated at
tacks of disease, if strict conditions of
health are obeved. What these conditions
are it repeats in staring type. Is 1t blind
ness of head or heart which cannot inter-
pret?
In May, 1887, Mrs. -, aged %, came to
New York for medical care. Fer father
and sister had died of tubercle, and her
blood was tuberculous; (a) the sputum had
lung fbres and she was also suffering from
inward enlargement. In one month of care
full dieting and medication her cough dis
appeared, the lung gave evidence of heal
ing, the blood became healthy, the heart
beat easier and the enlargement was re-
duced to normal size. Her. case had shown
unusual progress and she had with her great
resiliency done more in a month than is
usually accomplished in six.
She Played Too Hard.
During the summer she did fairly well;
had been ordered to take much outdoor CT.
ercise. This she overdid (b)-there is such
thing as patients playing too hard as we'll
as working too hard. Family troubles wor-
ried her, and different beef (c) gave her
diarrbea. so that in the fall she began to
run down again. In November she returned
to New York, travelling alone; caught cold.
on the sleeping car (c) and had an attack OF
congestion of the lungs on arriving, which
set her back. Still she pulled out all right,
and in January went home Before leav-
ing she walked to the top of the Metropoli-
tan Opera House, over 100 steps, to hear lit
tie Josef Hoffman play. She was in good
flesh; no cough. On reaching home she
walked nearly mile over an icy road up a
hill to her house without fatigue.
All went we'll awhile till her cook left her;
then came great deal of trouble in getting
help; the patient had to go into the kitchen
and cook for seven beside her family; (b)
had to 90 into the kitchen is hardly truth.
She was a woman of good family, her father
among the first in his profession; her mother
highly cultivated. The patient had one of
those exquisite nervous systems that brooked
no delay; (b) she loved to carry on her
household with the utmost precision. Be-
fore her first child was born she had for one
summer carried on affairs for a family of H.
(b) Her husband owned large stock farm
with an extensive and expensive plant OF
full blood cattle in malarial region (a).
Didn't Realize the Results.
Neither he nor, she realized the suicidal
result of her working. SO in her great desire
to keep things running smoothly (b) she did
work she ought not to have done, and the first
result was congestion of the lung-rhe right
one this time, not the left, which was the
one with tubercle. She came out from this
attack OF congestion, and later in the spring,
while driving, the horses started; she pulled
her little son in by one hand and severely
wrenched herself 30 that sharp pains
came on.
In May, 1888, she was without servant
and did her own work (b). did not feel we'll,
was tired, had much pain in the top of the
head, blood not normal, yeast present in
spores. Soon she was taken sick with
chills in back, fever, vomiting and de-
lirium (a). She was relieved, but from a
bright, CHEEKY, hopeful person she became
irritable and respondent, aud at times dis
trustful of her friends. 1t seemed as if all
the good work dsne her health was
thoroughly undone. She convalesced
slowly, fed with oysters, chicken. cream.
new milk, fish, etc. In August the cough
began to come back, and, despite the ply
sician's urging to live as before, on beef
alone, the poor, sick woman was SO shat
tered by the meningitis that she could not.
There can be no doubt the wrench received
when she pulled the boy into the carriage
had hurt her much.
Another Wonderful Improvement.
In September lung fbres began to appear
in the sputum, and on the 18th of that
month she had four hernorrhages, finally
controlled by the atomization OF persulphate
of iron one part to "a of water, and the use
of bugle weed and witch hazel internally.
She again took to bed and said she WAS
going to die. Hectic fever came on, bright
spots on cheeks, skin cold and sweaty,
pulse 120. She was encouraged to come
down to close beef diet, broiled. For her
cold skin.a its sweaty condition acid baths
were used with salicin, also the primary
current from q galvanic battery in very
small doses for the internal trouble. 1t was
truly wonderful to see how that woman i'm
proved. In one weeks time she was out of
bed, was soon out driving. the sweats
stopped and the cough greatly diminished.
But the later part OF October she was so
much depressed by the malaria (a) that it
was decided to make a change of climate.
The malaria, of course. was left behind and
she improved. A few weeks before Christ
mas she decided to make up box of pres
ents for her children. 1t was feared the
brain work of choice and the labor of
needie-work in these presents would injure
her. These fears were fully realized; she
had very bad attack OF home-sickness and
her appetite left her; she was giveL rs much
leeway as possible in her diet and the
cough came back. The night sweats re-
turned, the lung fbres again appeared, the
bright spots in the cheeks showed that
death was again making good time in the
race. Christmas night, alter "a sad day, she
said: doctor, am going to put my appe-
tlte behind nv back. and eat broiled chop
ped beef four times day in my room; do
not want to see any other food.'