Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 February 1885 — A THRILLING EXPERIENCE! [ARTICLE]

A THRILLING EXPERIENCE!

Remarkable Statement of Personal Danger and Providential Escape. The following story—which Is attracting wide attention from the press—is so remarkable that we cannot excuse ourselves if we do not lay it before our readers, even though its length would ordinarily preclude its admission to onr limited space. To the Editor 'BochesUr (N. Y.) Democrat • Sib—On the first day of June, 1881, I lay at my residence in this city surrounded by my friends and waiting for death. Heaven only knows the agony I then endured, for words can never describe it. And yet, if a few years previous any one had told me that I was to be brought so low, and by so terrible a disease, I should have scoffed at the idea. I had always been uncommonly strong and healthy, and weighed over 200 pounds, and hardly knew, in my own experience, what pain or sickness were. Very many people who will read this statement realize at times that they are unusually tired and cannot ao- ! count for it. They feel dull pains in various parts of the body and do not understand it. Or they are exceedingly hungry one day and entirely without appetite the next. This wqa just the way 1 felt when the relentless malady which had fastened itself upon me first began. Still I thought nothing of it; that probably I had taken a cold which would soon pass away. Shortly alter this I noticed a heavy, aqd at times neuralgic, pain in one side of ray head, but as it would come one day and be gone the next, I paid little attention to It. Then my s.tomach would get out of order and my food often failed to digest, causing at times great inconvenience. Yet, even as a physician, I did not think that these things meant anything serious. I fancied I was suffering from malaria and doctored myself accordingly. But I got no better. I next noticed a peculiar color and odor about the fluids I was passing —also that there were large quantities one day and very little the next, and that a persistent froth and scum appeared upon the surface, and a sediment settled. And yet I did not realize my danger, for, indeed, seeing these symptoms continually, I finally became aocustomed to them, and my suspicion was whol'y disarmed by the fact tfiat I had no pain in the affected organs or in their vicinity. Why I should have been so blind I cannot understand. I consulted the best medical skill in the land. I visited all the famed mineral springs in America and traveled from Maine to California. Still I grew worse. No two physicians agreed as to my malady. One said I was troubled with spinal irritation; another, dyspepsia; another, heart disease; another, general debility; another, congestion of the base of the brain; and so on through a long list of common diseases, the symptoms of mfiny of which I really had. In this way several years passed, during which time I was steadily growing worse. My condition had really become pitiable. The slight symptoms lat first experienced were developed Into terrible and constant disorders. My weight had been reduced from 207 to 180 pounds. My life was a burden to myself and friends. I could retain no food on my stomach, and lived wholly by injections. I was a living mass of pain. My pulse was uncontrollable. In my agony I frequently fell to the floor and elutehed the carpet, and prayed for death. Morphine had little or no effect in deadening the pain. For six days and nights I had the death-premonitory hiocoughs constantly. My waiter was filled with tube-casts and albumen. I was struggling with Bright’s disease of the kidneys in its last stages! While suffering thus I received a call from my pastor, the Hev. Dr. Foote, at that time rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, of this city. I felt that it was our last interview, but in the course of conversation Dr. Foote detailed to me the many remarkable cures ol cases like my own which had come under his observation by means of a remedy, which he urged me to try. As a practicing physi-* clan and a graduate of the schools, 1 derided the idea of any medicine outside the regular channels being in the least beneficial. So solicitous, however, was Dr. Foote, that I finally promised I would waive my prejudice. I began its use on the first day of June, 1881, and took It according to directions. At first it sickened me; but this I thought was a good sign for one in my debilitated condition. I continued to take it; the sickening sensation departed and 1 was finally able to retain food upon my 6tomach. In a few days I noticed a decided change for the better, as also did my wife and friends. My hiccoughs ceased and I experience! less pain than formerly. I was so rejoiced at this improved condition that, upon what 1 had believed but a tew days betore was my dying bed, I vowed. In the presence of my family and friends, should I recover I would both publicly and privately make known this remedy for the good of humanity, wherever and whenever I had an opportunity, and this letter Is in fulfillment of that vow. My improvement was constant from that time, and in less than three months I had gained 28 pounds in flesh, became entirely free from pain, and I believe I owe my life and present condition wholly to Warner's Safe Cure, the remedy which I used. Since ray recovery I have thoroughly reinvestigated the subject ol’ kidney difficult!; s and Bright’s disease, and the truths developed are astounding. 1 therefore state, deliberately, and as a physician, that I believe wore than one-half the deaths which occur in America are caused by Bright's disease of the kidneys. This may sound like a rash statement, but I am prepared to fully verify it. Bright’s disease has no distinctive symptoms of its own (indeed, it often develops without any pain whatever in the kidneys or their vicinity), but has the symptoms of nearly every other common complaint. Hundreds of people die daily whose burials are authorized by a physician’s certificate as occurring from “Heart ids ease,’’ “Apoplexy,” “Paralysis,” “Spinal complaint,” “Rheumatism,” “Pneumonia,” and other common complaints, when in reality it is from Bright’s disease of the kidneys. Few physicians, and fewer people, realize the extent of this disease or its dangerous and in sidious nature. It steals into the system like a thief, manifests its presence, if at all, by the commonest symptoms, and fastens itsel upon the constitution before the victim is aware of it. It is nearly as hereditary as consumption, quite as common, and fully as fatal. Entire families,, inheriting it from their ancestors, have died, and yet none o’ the number knew or realized the mysterious power which was removing them. Instead of common symptoms, it often shows none whatever, but brings death suddenly, from convulsions, apodlexy, or heart diseas-. As one who has suffered, and knows by bitter experience what he says, I implore every one who reads these u ords not to neglect the slightest symptoms of kidney difficulty. Certain agony and probable death will be the sure result of such neglect, and no one can afford to hazard-such chances. lam aware that such an unqualified statement as this, coming from- me, known as I am throughout the entire land as a practitioner and lecturer, will arouse the surprise and possible animosity of the medical profession and astonish all with whom I am acquainted; but I make the foregoing state* menls based upon facts which I am prepared to produce and truths which I can aubstan Hate to the letter. The welfare of those who may possibly be Sufferers such as I was, is an ample inducement for me to take the step I have, and if I can successfully warn others from the dan rerous path in which I once walked, I am willing to endure all professional and personal consequen; os. J. B. HENION, M. D. Rochester, N, Y., Dec, 30.