Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-04-17

TORONTO DAmY GLOBE, July 25.-This
is an age of doubt; especially in regard to
cures by patent medicines, and rot without
reason, for too often have the sick and their
near and dear loved ones been deceived by
highly recommended nostrums that were
swallowed to be Of less avail than as much
water. The old, old fable of the boy and
the wolf applies also too frequently to many
of the specific connections for curing the
Ills that flesh Is heir to; and when real
cure is effected by a genuine remedy those
who might be benefited fight shy of il, say
ing, 1t was 'cure, cure, so often before
that won't try it When such state OF
affairs exists it IS advisable that assurance
should be made dOubly sure.
4 few weeks ago a marvellous and almost
miraculous cure was made known TO Canal
ians through the medium of the Hamilton
new spapers. IL was stated that Mr.. John
Marshall, well-known resident of Hamii-
ton, By the aid of pr Williams Pink Pills
for Pale People had been snatchel from the
very jaws of death, placed upon his feet AM
enabled 10 mingle with his fellow citizens
with more than renewed health and strength
and even brighter spirits than he had es-
perienced for years before. This remark
able statement naturally excited the wonder
Of almost a continent. Some believed mos,
people doubted. although the facts were
placed so clearly as to ward OFF the slightes,
suspicion of fraud. To investigate the very
amt r,ta,n h.fnra ba
people of Canada and the United States
veritication or otherwise of it was the special
mission of Globe reporter few days ago.
close inquiry into the circumstance
first showed that Mr. John Marshall, whose
residence is % Little William street, in the
northeast portion of the city, while en-
ployed as foreman for the Canadian Oil
Company, five years ago, fell upon the
edge of an oil vat aud hurt his back Think
ing little of the affair, Mr. Marshall con
timed to work on, but after few months
he became i'll, gralualIy got worse,
and in August. four years ago, became
stricken with the dread disease loco
motor ataxy--a disease attacking the
nerves and rendering that portion of the
system attacked perfectly helpless, pro-
claimed by the physicians to be incurabe-
which left him from the waist downwarls
without feeling and utterly unable to move
his lower limbs An he was able to do was
to raise himself by the aid of sticks and
crutches ard drag himself around the house
AMI occasionally to the corner of the street
On fine days. His legs were without feeling
pins and even knives were stuck into them
without the sick man experiencing any in
convenience. He could take walking stick
and beat his legs until the blows resounded
through the house and yet he felt nothing
During all these years of torture Mr.. Mar
shall consulted every doctor of ability in
the city; tried every form of treatment and
took almost every kind of patent medicine.
but without receiving one title of relief
The agony was frequently 80 intense tina,
he was obliged to take morphine pills in
order to receive reasonable amount OF
sleep.
As the months and years passed by, al
though the doctors continued to treat him
in various ways, they plainly told the suf-
fering man that he could not get better, the
disease was set down in the works of special
lists as incurable. The doomed man was q
member of the uited Empire Council No
l9n, Royal Templars of Temperance, and
under the djscouraeing circumstances he
thought it advisable to apply for the pay
ment Of the total disability claim of $1,000
allowed by the order on its insurance policy
Application was accordingly made, but be
fore the claim was granted the patient had
to offer conclusive proof of his total disabil-