The San Francisco call., 1897-12-13
What a Local 0culist
Thinks of Mrs. Oelrichs'
Condition.
Inflammation May Cause Total
Blindness Through
Sympathy.
Among the Various Remedies Is
One That Mrs. Pettee Says
Is Unfailing.

The many friends OF Mrs. Herman Oel-
richs in this city are very much worried
over the serious condition of her eye. The
dispatches from New York say that she
vas experimenting the hanging of some
draperies when rusty tack fell, striking
her in the eye, the point piercing the
white. She said nothing to her husband
of the accident, but TOOK the precaution OF
bathing her eye in warm water. That
evening she went to party and, it is pre-
sumed, took cold. All that night she SUI
fered the severest pain, which became so
bad in the morning that DIR. Knapp was
called IN. Since then bulletins of the
most alarming nature have been reaching
her friends here from time to time.
On the 9TH Richard V. Dey sent dis
patch 10 Mr.. Oerichs asking the exact
condition of Mrs. Oelrichs' eye. On the
9th he received an answer stating tuat her
condition Was very Serious but nothing
definite could be known till Saturday.
Elrly yesterday morning Miss Jennie
Blair, who is a great friend of Mrs. Oel-
richs, received the following dispatch:
Nothing definite for fortv-eight hours
AT noon yesterday John Mackay sent the
following dispatch to Mr.. Dry: Mrs.
Oelrichs not feeling well by any means.
| Her eyes give her great pain, and they are
much worried about her,"
DR.. John Boyson, one of the best known
ocuists III the city, speaking of the mat
| ter Yesterday, said: "Jud ging from what
have read think it j. extremely proba-
| BILE tnat Mrs. Oslrichs will lose the sight
of one eve if not OF both. II the tack pierced
| the zone that lies back or the clear part OF
| the eve and infected ii with its poison, nat
urally violent inflamm alton would be tn e
result. The papers say that erysipelas set
| in and that little tumors are forming. In
this case the other eye acting in sympathy
| with the injured one will also very likely
become affected and it may result in the
| loss of both eyes"
All sorts of queer remedies have been
| offered for the relief of Mrs Oeirichs.
! Mrs. Kate Pettee, who lives on Leaven-
worth street, offers this remedy: "Take
| some ripe Gran berries and stew them.
! Then make a thin Douitice and place it
over the afflicted eye. Relief is sure 10
! follow and in almost every case a cure has
been effected. 1t is an old German rem
edy. If Mrs. Oelrichs can only be per-
| suaded to try this simple remedy l am
sure she will benefit BY IT,"
NEW YORK, Dec. 12.-At the Oelrichs'
residence reports have been given out the
past few days that Mrs. Oelrichs' condi
tion was improving. The World, how
!
MRS. Hermann Oelrichs is threatened
with total bin 1ness. Her left eye wa:
| wounded on Saturday. D,cemb bsr 4. anC
within the last forty-eight hours the con-
dition of both eyes has become most seri-
Gus and alarming. There is hope o.
course that her eyesight may b. pre-
served TO her. DR.. Knapp, the famous
| oculist, and two other physicians ART
treating her, and three trained nurses are
in attendance.
Hermann Oelrichs has been constantly
by his wile's bedside, and yesterday many
of their friends called and solIcitouSly in
quired as to her condition. Mr. Oelrich
told friend last night that one of hi
wife's eyes is badly liberated and that tht
other is patheticaIiy affected and use
less, for the present at least. To-day will
determine whether this charming matrol
viii be spared the afffetion OF blindness
She has youth. strength and perfec
health on her side. A consultation of th'
most eminent oculists and surgeons will
be held at Mr.. Oelricbs' house, and the
will decide whether or not his wite's sigh
can be preserved TO her.