The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-08-11
FORETOLD DEATH.

Innumerable cases demonstrate his won
derful ability to look into the body and
discover diseased conditions that escape
the ordinary observer. Several months ago
a man and his wife called to consult DR..
Downing about the wife's health. They
went into his private room and before stat
ing the case began to apologize for calling,
the lady herself saying that she was not
really SICK but was weak and miserable,
tired easily and spoke of some other symp-
toms which she thought were too common
to complain about. She stated that the
family doctor had treated her for female
weakness, nervousness, etc. AS the lady
told how she felt, DIR. Downing looked
at her as if he might see the innermost
organs as with an X ray. He asked her
few additional questions and said: ''You
should have come here sooner. Then TAX
ing delicate instrument made a careful
examination as if hoping something en-
couraging might possibly thereby be found.
The examination finished, he called the
gentleman into another room and said: 1T
is too late, | cannot cure your wife; her
condition has become incurable, no earthly
power can cure her." The husband was
shocked to hear this from a physician of
DR.. Downing's reputation, in fact, he could
not believe the doctor was right, and re-
peated that his wife was not really sick,
that she was around most of the time at
tending to her work without complaint;
said that their family doctor thought she
would be strong again when Spring came,
etc. DR.. Downing let him finish and then
said: II wish it were as you think, but you
are mistaken. fear your wife cannot live
beyond springtime. Do all you can for
| |, IL
as you can; she can't be with you long"
The gentleman could not realize such I'M
happy and hopeless prospects and left the
office. Scarcely five months afterwards he
called again to see the Doctor. He came
alone He said that after consulting DR..
Downing, they went to New York and con-
suited other leading specialists, but his
wife continued to decline and died three
weeks before, leaving two small children.
DR.. Downing was able to look into the
body and see that the disease had progress
ed too far to be removed by mortal skill
knew was incurable, He often tells per-
son about the most obscure disease without
asking a question How does he do it? |
cannot tell; he seems to have wonderful
faculty to cure disease; for years he has
seen thousands of cases, giving each careful
attention, until he has acquired the ability
to quickly and certainly locate the most
obscure disease C1d with unerring judg-
ment tell whether cure can be effected.
Professor Aldrich, speaking of DR.. Down
ing, says: "He is a man of indomitable
energy, keen perception and natural ability,
possessed of faculty which enables him to
obtain immediate mastery over the most
perplexing medical problems" Certainly
he has acquired most wonderful skill and
success in curing chronic and nervous dis
cases. He always declines to treat case
which he believes to be incurable, no mat
ter how he may be urged to do so. He
gives every case which consults him his
candid opinion, believing it is better to
know the truth, however unpleasant it may