Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-05-10
CURE OF CONSUMPTION.
Fresh Air and Eourishment
Were Applied.


gested to me that might possibly bring
hope and encouragement to those suffer
ing from that much dreaded disease, by
giving the outlines of layman's discoy-
cries and experiences in that direction.
| Forty odd years ago-in 1857 TO beck
act-I was employed in a railroad office
| ID kalamazoo, Mich. With me was a
boy of TO, who had previously been with
me for three years in an office in Jersey
| City.
| lie was naturally exceptionally gifted
and very devoted to his office duties. /
was ten years his senior and had become
greatly attached to him. In the year
mentioned he caught Z severe cold. that
rapidly developed into quick consump-
ton. his mother was not living and he
renamed with me; he had the best doe
| tors we could find, the disease seemed
/ slightly checked at times, bat the terri
bic coughing and blood raising continued,
| his strength dwindled away. until one
day the doctor announced he could not
POSSIBLY live over two weeks. From that
time devoted myself principally to him
| had ideas of my own and / felt justi-
ned IN using them when the doctors gave
him up. l believed in fresh air, nourish-
ing food, and counter irritation. ] bathed
INN every night and morning, with each
bath i rubbed-wits towel-his breast
1
III tiny blood drops oozed through
the skin: my rule was to rub until these
| drops followed the sweep of the towel in
minute streaks OF blood.
In his sleep he would get on his left
side; that would start him coughing, and
irrltated his lungs without waking him.
slept with him, waking at the first
cough: several times each night, and
turned him over without disturbing his
sleep. The doctor-a man OF the high
est reputation-kept up an interest in the
case; he continually warned me to not
sleep, with the patient, said / could not
| possibly escape death from the same dis
ease; he finally ordered me to stop it.
AS the boy would surely die if someone
dldnt turn him over, and as | had prac-
tlcally taken charge, and he was slowly
gaining, took the chances. and contin-
ued acting according TO my own judg-
ment. The doctor gave good advice ms
to diet, which we followed. A little aft
er the time the doctor had set for the
patient to die, / had him helped into an
easy carriage with me, and with a slow
walking horse, kept him out of doors as
long as he seemed to enjoy it, We over
did 1t few times at first. but soon
learned when to turn back. From the
carriage we graduated to the backs OF
two gentle, easy cantering horses. and
| later, from those, to two of the hardest
KIND of trotters. | rode with him when.
ever could leave my business: his rule
was; two hours on horseback every day
III the year, no matter what the wealth
er might be. We thought nothing of be-
ing drenched in a sudden downpour of
| ram miles from town, but rode rapidlV
TO our rooms, where quick UNDRESSING
thorough rubbing down and dry clothing
| prevented our ever catching cold. He
F9ae In midsummer heat, and when the
| thermometer was II below zero with
equal certainty of receiving no harm. He
Kept a record of the miles ridden unril
they exceeded 10000. There were many
minor details of exercise, diet, etc. hui
the Two great objects | kept in view were
OUTDOOR air and counter irritation.
In the spring of 1861, we separated no
was practically cured. but there was !
dep saucer-shaped depression where the
lSd lu1g had been. The doctor fold us.
the patient owed his life to me. and
need not give him any of the credit.
was afterward told he had a report of
the case In some medical journal.
To-Day that boy resides in New York
cry millionaire railroad president.
On nay return from the Civil War T
| became connected with the Western
Cmon Telegraph Company in New York
| city, where young kinsman % wears
OLD was employed. In the fall of 1866
ne caught a severe cold which ran at
once into quick consumption. So roni,l
| sc PlOSISSS anu 4 saw so little of
MN for two or three months. that 7 was
astounded when his physician told me
| ne hadn't over six weeks to live: said
the salt air was too strong for him. that
II he was in the dry air of the Western
pains ne might possibly live a while
longer l said / would take him out of
| the salt air at once. He said any at
| tempt at moving him would kill him be-
| fore l could get him out of it. | went
| 10 the patient, told him what the doctor
| SAID, and proposed that instead of giving
up to die we would have a hand-to-hand
| night with death, and that | was sure we
would win. He was thin and weak from
bleeding at the lungs. and the same ter
| rlhc night sweats as the first patient had
and could only get out of bed by being
| helped; he said he had given up some
| time before, but didn't tell me, because
| was so busy, and he didn't want to
| worry me; that | might do as | pleased,
| as he would as soon die being moved as
to die six weeks later. / returned to the
1 doctor, told him the patient had CONSENT
| Ell TO be moved, and / was going TO move
him. He forbade my doing it; when he
found L was infeXible. he urged me to
| postpone it a week, and he would try
and get a little strength in him for the
| ordeal. | refused any delay: be then
declined any further responsibility or
| connection with the case. to which |
|
he gave, me full credit for having saved
| the natient
! ! felt | had four weeks more leew8y
| than in the former case but lost no time:
/ in two hours / had everything ready to
break camp. Next morning the patient
was dressed, lifted into my arms in a
carriage, driven to the Hudson River rail-
road station, there carried into a coach.
and left lying on a pillow in my lap.
| He lay so quiet that at times | had to
| look close to be sure he was breathing
My idea was, TO get him above the Hud-
| son river highlands. as the nearest point
| nearly free from salt air. and there wait
strength to go further. Near Peekskill.
! he opened his eyes and asked for more
air. / had the window slightly raised
| feared asking for ar meant difficulty in
breathing; presently, he asked to be lift
ed into an upright position in the seat
and leaned his head upon my shoulder.
then he asked for more air and had the
window fully opened. 1t was the latter
part Of March, the air was mild. and
presently a touch of color stole into his
I II 4