The Dickinson press., 1896-09-05

The publisher of this paper having some
business to transact nj Prescott, Ogrmilw Co.,
Michigan, Monday last, repaired that ham
let. While there he Glanced TO learn of
remarkable recovery from an Illness oithirty-
four years standing, the fortunate person
being Thomas +. Calvin. The writer hunted
tina, gentleman up, introduced himself, and
requested MIR. Calvin to give Il brief history
of his terrible disease and some history of
himself. ,lr. Galvn's trouble eliminated
three or four years since i'll three Diseases
rheumatism, atitctin. the general system;
locomotor ataxia. affecting the legs, render
ing him unable to direct his course in walk
ing, and paralysis, rendering him unable TO
use lips, throat or palate.
In giving history of his trouble, Mr..
Calvin said: Is
"In 1861 I enlisted in the army and was
made captain of Go. H.. 10th Illinois In
fantry. | was stationed at Paducal, KY; in
September of that year and while there
caught cold and contracted rheumatism.
was i'll the hospital there three months; when
| recovered sufficiently to report for duty,
although far from we'll. Previous to this
time had never been sick day in my life
aud wei ,:hed l95 pounds. Icontinuc,l in the
service during the war, although suffering
all the time from rlleumn.ism. At the close
of the war, was discharged and II few
months afterwards granted Il pension ni 50
PER month for my disabilities, ! was never
free from pain for rthirty-three long years uil.
til late last fall or early in the winter /
continued to grow worse all the time during
the entire period until last November was
then i'll Il pitablr condition. | had been
stricken with paralysis and !oronlo,or ataXia
in addition to my rheumatism. For three
years was helpless. lcoul'l not talk because
of paralysis, troud not walk because of the
locomotor ataxia, and my hands, arms and
legs were all out of ssrpe, witllerrl and
drawn, from rheumatism. You see my
knees now. .Iu>t as Timber as yours. Las,
summer ! could not move my knees, nor
could get them together within six inches
You see my fingers, straight and nearly re-
covered from their Stiffness. At that Time,
il attempted to walk, was as liable to %
backwards or sideways OF fill down as was
to go forwards, because of the lack of power
of locon6tion. My Col, how prayed for
yeass to die and be relieved of my Sutltrng>.
"lIal it no: been that our Government
saw fit to increase my pension from 81 to Sl1
per month and pay me 81. 40 back pension,
] should have suffered for the necessities of
life.
"Bcfore this time had treated with the
best medical men of detroit, Cleveland, Mil
waukee, Chicago and several other northern
cities, but, As | said. grew gradually worse
until l would not have given 81 for my
chances Of life last November. and, in fact,
would rather have been dead than alive. i
only weighed l32 pounds. You see Inc to-
day. weigh l75and am free from pain en-.
1irely, am slowly but surely gaining strength
You see get up stairs all right, and come
up these stairs dozen times a day now. You
would not discover that was ever unable to
speak. shall go to work with my tools as
II carpenter soon, so as 10 help me increase in
strength. ] was so long unable 10 take Il
step that do not feel hardly safe on my
pins yet. although have not fallen down
in several months. am learning the use of
my legs. hands, arms and tongue again. /
guess you will think have recovered the
use Of the latter if keep on, but l want to