Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1897-09-18
Shortened the Patients Leg Two Inches,
and so Affected the Nervous System
that He Continually Shook as
with the Palsy.
Utter Six Years of Torment He Succeeds in Find.
ing Remedy for the Horrible Disease.
From the Egyptian Press, Marion, Illinois.

TlreN h no name in this section of the
country, connected with the medical world,
fhat is better known to the public than that
Of Mr.. Monroe Peterson. He is situated in
nice, comfortabl. home, with good farm,
about four miles west of johnson City, ILL.,,
He is now fihy-cight years old in healthy
condition, and weighs one hundred and ninety
pounds Not more upright and honorable
citizen does our nation afford, and he is
Looked upon with wonder, because of his
healthy condition after so long a period Of
misery and suffering
The cause of Mr.. Petersons long suffering
was hurt which he received in fall, while
running a drill in 1861, being soldier at
the time. He has been crippled in his right
leg ever since that date. Sciatic rheumatism
then set in, and his leg began to slowly
wither away and draw up in the joint, and
now it is about two inches shorter than the
other. 1t began to grow worse and, finally,
his'whole body began to shake like person
with the st. Vitus' dance. His first severe
attack was about six years ago
There is no disease in the power of human
endurance more awful in its pains and
alIiictions than sciatic rheumatism. Some
iImes its pain may be II slow, steady one,
while, at other times, it comes with jerks
and wrenches that seem to twist the body
out of all shape of recognition. 1t seems to
contract the muscles, drawing the body al
most in knot. While this is probably the
Norst stpge of sciatic rheumatism, it is some
HINES found in milder forms. So it was
With Mr.. Peterson, but with it was associ-
4ied a feeling and condition almost as un-
tomfortable and unbearable. The body was
ina continual shake, rendering it impossible
fer him to do anything. He had lost all
control of his muscles; On application to
phYsican for relief, he was told that the
klliieti N might last him all his life, or, on
the o, h'" h;1 |, it miyht leave him entirely
ut MI m xDratcd moment.
Foe oyer three years he was not able to
write u worl, 50 severe was his shaking. He
c0ull not even sign his vouchers, thereby
hayjh! to make his mark and witness it. At
this tme he could not walk a step without
aid. nor even sit down in a chair without
Assishnce. So severe was the shaking of
his head that it almost caused him to go
blind. He could not distinguish person a
rods distance in front of him. He came
very nearly losing his mind, and his friends
thought, as a last resort, that he would have
70 be taken to a hospital. When he was
iaken to town for examination by aphysi-
elan, he had to he examined in the buggy,
30 difficult was it for him to get out. Often
times il would seem frat life was nearly ex-
tinct, aal his feet and hands would have TO
be bathed in warm water and rubbed in
order to restore the circulation. For two
years he was not able to feed himself at the
table. His ever faithful and dutiful wife put
.,cl col A N ha IN lya
pn0thefing spells and would have TO be
iIfied up in bed that l. 'aight regain his
breath and strength. At this critical period
he Vas not able to put on his clothes, not
able to do anything but sit and suffer his
niecrable life away.
One phi hysician gave as his decision of the
case, that his leg would have to be placed in