Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-05-28

There Is no name in this section OF the
country, connected with the medical world,
that is better known to the public than that
Of Mr., Monroe Peterson. lie is situated in
4 nice. comfortable home, with a good farm,
about four miles west Of johnson City, ILL.,,
He is now fifty.eigl,t yours old, in healthy
condition, and weighs one hundred and ninety
pounds. Not a more upright and honorable
citizen docs our nation afford, and he II
looked upon with wonder, because OF hi
healthy condition after so long period o.
misery and suffering.
>The cause Of Mr.. Petersons long suffering
was hurt which he received in full, while
running a drill in 1861, being o soldier al
the time. He las been crippled in his right
leg ever since that date. Sciatic rheumatism
then set in, and his leg began to slowly
wither away aud draw up in tho 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.
eThere is no disease in the power of human
endurance more awful in its pains and
Affections than sciatic rheumatism. Some.
times its pain may be g slow, steady one,
while, at other times, it comes with jerks
and wrenches that seem to twist the body
ont of all shape Of recognition. 1t seems to
contract the muscles drawing the body al.
most in knot. While this is probably the
worst stage of scia:c rheumatism, it is some.
times found in mildcr forms. So it was
with Mr.. Peterson, but with it was associ-
sted feeling and condition almost as un-
comfortable and unbearable. The body was
in continual shake, rendering it impossible
for him to do anything: He had lost all
control of his muscles; On application to q
affection might last him all his life, or, on
the other hand, it might leave him entirely
Ut an unc xpected moment.
. For over three years he was not able TO
write word, so severe was his shaking. He
could not even sign his vouchers, thereby
having to make his mark and witness it. At
aid, nor even sit down in chair without
assistance. So severe was the shaking of
his head that it almost caused him to 20
blind He could not distinguish person q
rods distance in front Of him. He came
very nearly losing his mind, and his friends
to be taken to hospital. When he was
taken to town for exam nation by O physi-
clan, he had to be examined in the buggy,
10 difficult was it for him to get out. Often.
times it would seem that life was nearly ex-
tinct, and his feet aud hands would Lave 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 ami dutiul wife put
the food to his mouth. Atnicht he would take
smothering spells aud would have to be
lifted up in bed that he might regain his
breath and strength. At this critical period
he was not able to put on his clothes, not
able to do anything but sit and suffer his
miserable life away.
One physician gave as his decision Of the
ease, that his LEG would have to be placed in
. vice and stretched to its original length,