Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1876 — A Remarkable Invalid. [ARTICLE]

A Remarkable Invalid.

iVtiss Ruth W. Burgees, who died in Plymouth,on Saturday, at the ageof sixtyfour years, began to be afflicted when about eight years of age, by having fits or convulsions, and finally a paralysis of the right eye. . Soon after this she was abided with dropsy, and her cure oi this disease has a somewhat remarkable incident. Her brother being in Demarara, consulted a French physician in regard to her, who gave, him some medicine that effected a cure. Upon being investigated, it proved to be cannabis, or Indian hemp, which from that time has been used by the faculty here with great success iu cases of dropsy. Soon after this she recovered the use of her eye, but lost her eyesight entirely for some time, and has bad,only partial sight since. Soon after this her health improved materially so that she was able to walk across the room, hut an a short time she began to have spasms «r convulsions of the most pains ul character upon her left side., Rer left leg wauld.be.drawn back apd twisted until the sole of her foot would rest upon her right shoulder..* This was gradually brought back, hut had to be tied m order to keep it in its place, and from that time until her death had generally to be secured. It is now about twenty years since this has been necessary After this a contraction of the organs of the throat came on so that she was. unable to swallow. A set of instruments was made in Boston, under the direction of her physician, by which the constriction was partially removed, so that semi-liquid substances could bp forced down her throat with an instrument made for that purpose, aid she never after was able to swallow any but very soft substances. Indications of consumption now showed themselves, and she soon presented every appearance of a person in the last stages of this disease, so much so that her pliysielhn, on going off for a few weeks, told her mother that he should probably never see her again. Yet, wonderful to tell, she recovered entirely from this. She theft began to have abscesses of the liver, and her body was so swollen' that her breast-bone was even with her chin. But a cough set in, and abe began to raise matter in some wav almost incredible to physiologists for about six days, when a change took place, and the discharges passed oft’ through a natural channel. Her swelling went away and left her almost a skeleton, so reduced was she. But she recovered . from this. During these years, and white undergoing all this; she had the measles, scarlet fever, small-pox and itch, and these diseases went through their regular , course. She has been bedridden now for more than twenty years, living in this manner, and has survived a family consisting of father and mother, four brothers and two sisters, all of whom were "of good health and constitution. During some of the attacks of convulsions her head and feet would, be drawn backward so that they would meet, and remain in this position hours. Under all these afflictions ,|>he borebji with a sweet and patient temper. For some time she kept* a little shop, theronly one she-wwtlwew usl.’wra hete she sold a little Confectionery and small tilings. She was very industrious, always doing whatever she could— Boston Qlobt. i r , r According to the last census there are 5,866,168 males in England and Wales of twenty years and upwards, but there areonly 2,W0,763 voters, so that there are no less than 3,525,405 men in the country who hkve no voice in making the laws. Less than one-half are enfranchised, and in Ireland and (Scotland there are fewer persons still, in proportion, upon the reg-