The National tribune., 1893-01-12
AN 0AKVILLE MIRACLE
THE REMARKABLE CASE OF MIR.
JOHN W. CONDOR.
A Helpless Cripple For Ycars-Treated by
the STAFF of the Toronto General Hospital
and Discharged as Incurable-Tie Story of
His Miraculous Recovery as Investigated
by an Empire Reporter.

|
His Miraculous Recovery Investigated
by an Empire Reporter.
| Toronto EDapirel
For more than year past the readers of the
Empire have been given the particulars of some
| of the most remarkable cures of the 10th GEN.
| fury, all, or nearly all of them, in cases
hitherto held by the most advanced medical
scientists to be incurable. The particulars of
these cases were vouched for by such leading
newspapers as The Hamilton Spectator and Times,
The Ha6faG Herald Toronto Globe LIE Monde,
Montreal; Detroit News. Albany, N. Y. Journal,
albany Erpress and others, whose reputation
| placed beyond question the statements made.
Recently rumors have been afoat OF re-
markabe case in the pretty little town of Oak
vile, of young man recovering after years of
helplessness and agony. The Empire deter
mined to subject the case to the most rigid in
vestgation, and accordingly detailed one of
| our best reporters to make thorough and i'm
partial investigation into the case. Acting
| upon these instructions our reporter went to
Oak vlle and called upon Mr. John w. Condor
| (who it was had so miraculously recovered) and
had not long been in conversation with him
were not only true, but that the half had not
been told" The reporter found Mr.. Condor at
work in one of the heaviest departments of the
Oakvile Basket Factory, and was surprised, in
the face of what he knew of this case, to be con-
| fronted by strapping young fellow of good
| physique, ruddy countenanee and buoyant
bearing. This now rugged young man was
he who had spent great part of his days upon
a sick bed, suffering almost untold agony.
When the Empire representative announced the
purpose of his visit Mr.. Condor cheerfully vol
unteered statement of his case for the benefit
of other sufferers. Il am" said Mr.. Condor,
ian Engishman by birth, and came to this
country with my parents when nine years Of
age, and at that time was as rugged and healthy
as any boy of my age. ] am now 20 years of
age, and it was when about IA years old that
the first twinges OF iufammatory rheumatism
came upon me, and during the fifteen years
that interviewed between that time aud my re-
covery few months ago, tongue can hardly
tell how much / suffered. My trouble was
brought on, / think, through too frequent bath
ing in the cold lake water. The joints of my
body began to SWELL the cords of my legs to
tighten, and the muscles of my limbs to con-
tract. became helpless cripple. confined to
bed, and for three months did not leave my
room The doctor who was called in admins
tered preparations of iodide of potassium and
other remedies without any material beneficial
effect. After some months of suffering 1 be-
came strong enough to leave the bed, but my
limbs were stiffened and / was unfit for any
active vocation. ! was then hampered more or
less for the following nine years, when 1 was
again forced to take to my bed. This attack
was in 1856, and was great deal more severe
than the first. My feet, ankles, knees, legs,
arms, shoulders and in fact all parts of my
frame were affected. My joints aud muscles
became badly swollen, and the disease even
reached my head. My face swelled to great
size. / was unable to open my mouth, my
jaws being fixed together. /, of course, could
eat nothing. Ny teeth were pried apart and
liquid food poured down my throat. ! lost my
voice. and could speak only in husky whispers.
Really, / am unable to describe the state | was
i'm during those long weary months. With my
swollen limbs drawn by the tightening cords
up to my emaciated body, and my whole frame
twisted and contorted into Undesirable shapes,
| was nothing more than deformed skeleton.
For three long weary months was confined to
bed after which was able to get up but was
complete physical wreck, hobbling around on
crutches a helpless cripple. My suHerings were
continually intense, and frequently when l
would be hobbling along the street l would be
seized with paroxism of pain and would fall
unconscious to the ground. During all this
time had the constant attendance OF medical
men, but their remedies were nnavailing. All
they could do was to try to build up MY system
by the use of tonics. In the fall of 1889 and
spring of 1890 again suffered intensely severe
attacks, and at last my m edical attendant, as
last resort, ordered me to the Toronto General
Hospital. / entered the Hospital on June goth,
1890 and remained there until September 10th
of the same year. But, notwithstanding all the
care and attention bestowed upon me while in
this institution, no improvement was noticeable
i'm nv condition. After using almost every
available remedy the hospital doctors-of whom
there was about dOzen-came to the conclu-
sion that my case was ncurable and was sent
away with the understanding that | might re-
main an outside patient. Accordingly from
September, 1890, to the end of January, 1891, /
went to the hospital once q week for examina-
ton and treatment AT this stage l became
suddenly worse, and once more gained admis-
sion to the hospital, where lay in miserable
suffering condition for two months or more.
In the spring of 1891 / returned to Oakville,
and made an attempt to do something toward
my own support. | was given light work in
the basket factory, but had to be conveyed to
and from my place of labor in buggy and car
TICu from Lne TlS w bduio III tHC HOaho VII
which / sat and performed my work. In Au-
gust 1891, was again stricken down, and
remained in an utterly helpless condition until
January, 1892 At this time Mr.. James, To-
cal druggist, strongly urged me to try DIR. Will
liams' Pink Pills for Pale People. was preju-
diced against proprietary medicines, as | had
spent nearly all l possessed on numerous highly
recommended so-called remedies. l had taken
into my system large quantities of different
family medicines | had exhausted the list of
liniments but all in vain, and | was therefore
reluctant to take Mr.. James advice. l. how
ever. saw strong testimonials as to the value of
DR.. Williams Pink Pills as q blood builder and
nerve tonic and thinking that if l could only
get my blood in better condition my general
state of health might be improved, | resolved to
give Pink Pills trial. With The courage born
of dispair | bought box but there was
ticeable Improvement and thought this was
like the other remedies had used. But urged
Oh by friends continued taking Pink Pills and
after using seven boxes / was rewarded by no.
ticing decided change for the better. My
appetite returned my spirits began to rise and
! had little freer use of my muscles and limbs,
the old troublesome swelings subsiding Icon
tinued the remedy until had used twenty-five
boxes when left off. By this time had taken
on considerable flesh, and weighed as much as
1GO pounds This was gain of so pounds i'll
few weeks. My joints assumed their normal
size, my muscles became firmer, and in fact /
was new man. By April | was able to go to
wofS ia the basket factory, and now can work