Chapter 3
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her. She slept, and nothing could arouse her from the death-like stupor.
Her pulse and heart at times throbbed violently, and then grew more
and more feeble in their action, until she ceased to breathe. Thus she
died without giving her family one look of recognition. This second
death seemed more than we could endure. We all sorrowed deeply but
I was agonized and could not be comforted.
“My daughter was next afflicted. Grief, anxiety and watching, had
overtasked her powers of endurance, and her strength gave way, and she
was brought upon a bed of suffering. I have now lost confidence in both
the physicians I had employed. Another physician was recommended
to me as being successful in treating the sick. And although he lived
at a distance, I was determined to obtain his services.
“This third physician professed to understand my daughter’s case.
He said that she was greatly debilitated, and that her nervous system
was deranged, and that fever was upon her, which could be controlled,
but that it would take time to bring her up from her present state of
debility. He expressed perfect confidence in his ability to raise her.
He gave her powerful medicine to break up the fever. This was ac-
complished. But as the fever left, the case assumed more alarming
features, and grew more complicated. As the symptoms changed,
the medicines were varied to meet the case. While under the influ-
ence of new medicines she would, for a time, appear revived, which
would flatter our hopes, that she would get well, only to make our
disappointment more bitter as she became worse.
“The physician’s last resort was calomel. For some time she
seemed to be between life and death. She was thrown into convul-
sions. As these most distressing spasms ceased, we were aroused to
the painful fact that her intellect was weakened. She began slowly to
improve, although still a great sufferer. Her limbs were crippled as the
effect of the powerful poisons which she had taken. She lingered a
few years a helpless, pitiful sufferer, and died in much agony.”
[445]
After this sad relation the father looked imploringly to the physi-
cian, and entreated him to save his only remaining child. The physician
looked sad and anxious, but made no prescription. He arose to leave,
saying that he would call the next day.
Another scene was then presented before me. I was brought into
the presence of a female, apparently about thirty years of age. A physi-
cian was standing by her, and reporting, that her nervous system was