The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-10-08
A Patient Cured WHO was Afflicted with Rheumo
tiSTn, LOcO1lOtOr At2Zia in the Legs and
Paralysis OF the Throat
t wco i'm Prescott, Micll., the Patient was an Old
Soldier and has Hundreds of Friends
The Case Reads Like Miracle
From the LakeStde Monitor, III Sable, Mich.

The publisher Of this paper having some
business to transact at Prescott, Ogemaw Co.,
Michigan. Monday last, repaired to that ham
let While there he CHANGED to learn of "a re-
markabc recovery from an illness of thirty
four years standing, the fortunate person be-
ing Thomas F. Calvin. The writer hunted
that gentleman up, introduced himself, and
requested Mr.. Calvin to give brief history
of his terrible disease and some history of
himself. Mr.. Galvin's trouble eliminated
inrre or four years since in three diseases
rheumatism, affecting the general system !;
locomotor ataxia, affecting the legs, rendering
him unable to direct his course in walking
and paralysis, rendering him unable to use
lips, throat or palate.
In giving history of his trouble, Mr. Gal
win said:
"In 1861 1 enlisted in the army and was
made captain of Co. H., 10th Illinois Infan-
try. I was stationed at Paducah, KY; in
September of that year and while there
caught cold and contracted rheumatism.
was in the hospital there three months; when
l recovered sufficiently to report for duty,
although far from well. Previous to this
time l had never been sick day in my life
anu W6lSu6u 100 pOuuuS. l. continued III Tic
service during the war, although suffering
all the time from rheumatism. At the close
of the war, ] was discharged and few
months afterwards granted a pension of 50
per month for ray disabilities. was never
free from pain for thirty-three long years I'M
til late last fall or early in the,winter. l
continued to grow worse all the time during
the entire period until last November / was
then in a pitiable condition. | had been
stricken with paralysis and locomoter ataXia
In addition to my rheumatism. For three
years was helpless. l could not talk because
of paralysis, could not walk because of the
locomotor ataxia and my hands, arms and
legs were all out of shape, withered and
drawn, from rheumatism. You see my knees
now. Just as Timber as yours. Last summer
could not move my knees, nor could get
them together within six inches. You see
my fingers, straight and nearly recovered from
their stiffness. At that time, if l attempted
to walk I was liable to go backwards or side
ways or fall down as l was to go forwards be-
cause of the lack of power of locomotion.
prayed for years to die and be relieved of my
sufferings.
"Had it not been, that our Government saw
fit to increase my pension from 50 to SIT per
month and pay me $3,140 back pension,
should have suffered for the necessities of
life.
Before this time 1 had treated with the
best medical men of Detroit, Cleveland Mil
waukee, Chicago and several other northern
cities, but as 1 said, grew gradually worse
until 1 would not have given 81 for my
chances of life last November, and, in fact,
would rather have been dead than alive.
only weighed 1872 pounds. You see me to-day.
1 weigh It's and am free from pain entirely,
am slowly but surely gaining strength. You
see get up stairs all right, and 1 come up
these stairs dozen times day now. You
would not discover that was ever unable to
speak. shall go to work with my tools as a
carpenter soon, so as to help me increase in
strength. was so long unable to take step
that I do not feel hardly safe on my pins
yet, although I have not fallen down in
several months. am learning the use of my
legs, hands, arms and tongue again. guess
you will think 1 have recovered the use of the
latter if keep on, but | want to practice up
again and make up for lost time and tell
every one of my now happy lot.