The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-23
Paralysis From Smoking.
w. II. Griffin, one OF the stsn ~ the
Cleveland "Plain Dealer" INFINITELY
Describes the Effects Of Tobacco
on Him and the Means Used TO
Counterass It.
A CASE THAT HAS GREATLY IN
TEREsTED THE MEDICAL
PROFEsSION
From The Plain Dealer, Cleveland. ohio.

G&SlOAs
From The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.
The following was recently told by Mr..
". II. Griffin, one Of the staff Of the Plain
Dealer, Of Cleveland, Ohio. AS it is a
strange story we publish it in full
My case was a strange one from begin
ming 10 end. 1t puzzled the best physicians
that could be secured in the vicinity in
which ! lived. Indeed it was such a re-
markable case, such an unusual one that a
description OF it was published in the best
medical journals throughout the country, and
many were the letters received by our family
physician regarding it from eminent New
York doctors, and doctors from the cities.
was always Of a nervous disposition,
and am now. In September, 1899, | entered
Buchtel College, Akron, Ohio. The second
week after beginning my college career [
went home to spend Sunday with my par.
ents. / was not feeling very well at the
time, After dinner one Sunday lay down
on the couch to take a nap. About ten
minutes after l felt sharp pains shooting
acro,s my body in every direction. These
pains lasted for an hour, and then became
unconscious When 1 came to my senses
again found that | was too weak to move
Soon, however, l felt as well as usual, and
although | did not know what the trouble
was, still l did not worry about it until the
next day, when the same thing occurred
again, and at about the same hour as on the
preceding day. Our family physician was
called in, and after examining me. rendered
a verdict of stomach trouble, giving me
medicine for the same. The next day the
same thing required, only the unconscious
spell lasted longer than before. Then it was
decided that | was not able to 20 back to
college that term.
"These spells came to be a daily occur.
renee but without the sharp pains. When
! felt them coming on | would go home and
lie down on the couch. Soon / would com
mence to get drowsy. Then would become
unconscious, the spell lasting from q quarter
to half an hour. When it passed awav |
would be left weak and unable to move for a
few moments but l was soon able to be up
and about again. | continued TO take medt
cine for stomach trouble, but as the spells
continued and instead Of one a day grew to
the number of two and Outlines three n dav
the doctor suggested "a slight change in treat
ment and that when ! felt them coming on.
instead Of lying down 1 should 60 and take a
walk. So the next day when / felt the
drowsiness creeping over me, / started out
70 walk 1t of, accompanied by friend.
We walked some distance when all at once
and without. a. moments warning over I
went, and would have fallen on my face had
not my friend caught me and held me. AL
though fast losing my senses, good shaking
aroused me- and was able to get back home
when l soon relapsed into unconsciousness
the spell lasting over an hour. The doctor
was called in again, and after studying over
my case, decided that it was not disease of
stomach that allied me after all but nervous
trouble. He gave me medicine accordingly
which | took without the desired result
Another physician, one who had studied for
years IN both France and Germany. and
made nervous troubles especially. was called
IN. lie was telephoned for when | was in one
OF my spells, and arriving, proceeded to handle
me most roughly. With needle he pricked
my body in several places sometimes drawing
blood, but 1t had no effect upon me- I Law
there as one dead, utterly unconscious of any
PAIN or OF what was Transporting about me-
This spell lasted over an hour and when I
came to, | was told that some Of nv nerves
were paralyzed. The doctor said that he had
seen few cases like mine in France, and that
he thought he could cure me. This inforna.
ton was gratefully received, for was beeom-
ing greatly alarmed over my condition. But
the spells continued to come on me regularly
every day in spite of the medicine was given.
and soon was nervous wreck. Many prom.
inent physicians were called in, and as the
new physician had published nv case in
some Of the medical journals, he began to
receive letters from many world renowned
doctors regarding it. Advice was received
nom everywhere, and consultations were
held, but nothing could be found to better
my condition.
l was able to get about a little with the
ala OF cane, and one day while I was in a
drug store l saw in the case several boxes of
Pink Pills for Pale People. With no pur-
pose whatever | read the label. and seeing
that the medicine was for nervousness. | pur
chased box. took the medicine home