The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-01-14
A(lUEi:'E.R|'| |: |'|
Seven Years Terror ef Death is IS Due to a
TIM. Needle in Body.
DOOMED, SAID. DOCTORS

DOOMED, SAID. |. DOCTORS
8 For Many Years; Richard Doherty
Has Waited for Supposed Atrophy
to Extend All Over Body-Re-
81 $: msoyai {, i,ai 81 Bit Of Steel Pressing on
u. Nerve Centre Saved Him.
:s The New York World says with his
right: !: hand unwillingIy, clasped in
that of a spectre which he had been
told by physicians was death Rich
ard Doherty1 trayersed the daily
walks OF life through seven years.
Every day the spectre tligged at his
4 hand, sometimes gently, sometimes
brutally, but always as Doherty had
been assured. as a reminder that he
must hurry and earn the money for
the grave that he would fill or, fall
& ing, have pauper's burial.
But now the spectre has been put
to fight. Within a few days even
its shadow will have vanished, Do
herty has been promised. He said
yesterday in his home, No. Il Nc
Kenney street, Brooklyn, that con-
stant nearness to death had not en-
bittered him; his appetite for long
s life is whetted. 6.
He was an engineer on an ocean
liner seven years ago when, making
the trip from New York to Liver
pool, he was seized with pains in his
right hand. Being thirty and un-
usually healthy and courageous, he
would not give in to the pain until,
on his return to New York, he found
: himself helpless. His hand was par
alyzed. Soon his arm became af-
fected. He was compelled to give up
his work and went to hospital.
There the surgeons diagnosed his all
] ment as progressive muscular afro
ply. After undergoing protracted
treatment, which exhausted Ills saw
ings, he was told there was no hope
for him, that the disease would at
tack his entire body and after every
muscle had succum bed The end would
s overtake him.
&Doherty left the hospital almost
crazed with anguish. Tantalizingly,
4 1t seemed to him, his affection was
less extreme at, times and he took
advantage of these respites to work
at odd jobs which supplied him with
sufficient money on which to live.
s He managed even to lay aside little
for the fund for his coffin and grave.
The thought of dying a pauper OBJ
) sessed Doherty: He says he felt
powerless TO oppose the spectre at
: his side, but there was a certain grim
4 satisfaction in fighting against.
nameless sepulchre.
On three or four occasions in the
seven years, Doherty became so Ill
that he had to return to a hospital.
In the several institutions where he
was treated he WAS told the same
story of inevita BILE death from his
i disease. Recently, more frequent at
z tacks prevented him from working
as much. as formerly and he was
I forced to go into his "burial" savings
until they were exhausted. Three
weeks ago, with his last cent spent,
he caught severe cold. It threat
ened to develop into pneumonia and
his condition became so serious he
was taken to Bellevue Hospital.
The surgeons discovered in their
examination that Doherty's right
hand was helpless aud there was
discussion concerning the cause.
Failing to agree on the verdict OF
muscular atrophy ais handed down
in the other hospitals, it was sug-
gested that an N-ray examination be
made of the entire muscular sys-
TEN. Many photographs were taken
and developed. One of the neck dis
closed a substance that looked like a
needle
Doherty was question and recalled
that when he was child he had
swallowed needle Additional X
ray photos were taken and proved to
the physicians that there really was
a needle in Doherty's neck and that
it was pressing on the ganglia Of
nerves which controlled his right
hand.
Doherty was informed he could bid
adieu to his seven-year companion,
Death. ard the surgeons set speci-
fed time for the leave-taliing. Il
will come within two or three days,
when the needle will be removed by
an operation neither dangerous nor
exceedingly painful. 1t is expected
that relief will be immediate, and
that Doherty will be better man
than ever. physically. as soon as the
strength of his right arm is restored
by exercise.
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