The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-08-26
THE ANrERoom OF DEATH.

"Official life in Washington, with
its social side features, is hotbed for
Bright's disease and early graves.
So said Senator Dolliver, just after
the death of Thomas B. Reed, to DR..
T. L. Macdonald, one of the most
prominent physicians of Washington,
and one who had wide acquaintance
with public men.
DR.. Macdonald quoted the remark
Sunday in discussing the death of
Secretary Hay. "Public men here"
continued the doctor, suffer from
the aggregated disadvantages of a
sedentary life with its well known
dietetic errors. Some time ago
Cabinet officer sent to me A good di-
gestion and modern craftsmanship
should go together in the order
named.
''Few people understand the multi
plicity and variations of the manifes-
tations of nephritis. Some of the
most common are dropsy, heart dis
ease, coma, apoplexy, paralysis, con-
vulsions, gangrene, cerebral soften
ing, the blurred vision of retinitis
and arterial degeneration. The in
volvment of so many structures stu
ated so remotely from the original
diseases, illustrates the truth of the
statement that man seldom dies
from the disease with which he is af-
fected. A common example of this
is the gangrene of the extremities, due
to arterial degeneration, so frequent
ly the accomplishment of chronic
nephritis.
"The late Senator Cushman K.
Davis, of Minnesota, SO long chair
man of the Foreign Relations Com
mittee, was notable example of this
phase of the disease. When the re-
port goes out that a great man has
Bright's disease, there is often much
confusion in the lay mind, because of
the prominence of one or more of the
foregoing manifestations which are
only secondary.
'In contrast to the terrible convul-
sions, so nerve-racking to see, is the
deadly coma vigil or open-eyed sleep
of other cases. James G. Blaine was
such an example. While Secretary
of State under President Harrison,
and while endeavoring to discuss some
question of Importance, he would
lapse into unconsciousness with eyes
wide open and staring. You will re-
member at this time he was being
pushed for the Presidential nomina-
| ton.
"a few evenings prior to the acci-
dent which preceded his death, Lord
Herschel made a delightfully."- witty
speech at the annual dinner of the
Gridiron Club. A little later he fell,
breaking his thigh, and when visited
at his hotel the evidences of nephritis
were only too plain III the dropsy OF
both ankles. In few days he was
dead.
"Thomas B. Reeds death from
nephritis was also ushered in by
surgical affection, an acute attack OF
/
appendicitis.
"Few who are not on the scene can
understand the mental strain and
nerve wear and tear attending the
distribution of official spoils and the
unreasoning exactions of constituents
who so commonly speak of my Sen
ator' or my Congressman. Doctors
have been sent for and asked to stand
between eminent officials and clamor-
ing constituents.
"At the Gridiron dinner, made
famous by being the last that Marcus
A. Hanna attended, 1 said something
to him about the worries and ankle
ties necessarily associated with public
life. Tagged and worn, and showing
the stress and strain which he had
undergone, his white, waxy face be-
came solemn as he exclaimed:
Doctor, official life in Washing
ton is nothing short of political vivi-
section.
ga member of Thomas B. Reed s
family told me that after one of those
stormy scenes in his first Speaker
ship, which he apparently ruled with
Shinx like immobility, he would go
home and to bed prostrated with a
nervous chill"