A Wonderful Cure

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 166, 14 January 1873, Page 7

A Wonderful Cure

Under the above heading, one of the West Coast papers tells this story:—A most miraculous cure of what seemed a hopeless case occurred at the Ahiura last week, in connection with the Hospital building and its uses. A week or two ago, a woman, who used to support herself and her children formerly by washing and jobbing about, was found in a hut on the Napoleon road in a hideous state of filth and misery, brought on, it is said, by her own dissolute and dissipated habits. The hovel she lived in was in such a condition that it was necessary, to prevent the generation of disease, that it should be thoroughly cleansed. The police interfered, and caused the woman to be removed and placed in a sort of quarantine in the Hospital bvilding. She remained there, and although she received every attention, it was at one time feared she would not live. When news of the recent fatal accident at Half-Ounce reached the Ahaura, the authorities at once t >ok steps to make such preparation as would be necessary in c:iso the bodies were recovered. Among these, an order was given to have coffins made, but when one of them was finished it was found it would not be wanted, as the friends of the men had had coffins made at Hah>Ounce. The carpenter then received ins'rue ions to store it in the Hos pital building until it should unfortunately be required on a future occasion. He took it there and placed it near the bed of tin: patient. She anxiously inquired what use he intended to make of it, and, with a recklessness of consequences highly censurable under the circumstances, he heartlessly frightened the poor woman by telling her that " her time had come, for the people were getting tired of her, and, as she was incorrigible, they had made up their minds to bury her alive." He further told her that she would be buried comfortably and decently, for he had received instructions to envelop her in nice new shavings, which he left to procure. The moment he turned his back, the patient, who was paralytic and bedridden a few minutes before, made a rush through one of the windows, scudding away down the road to the township, where afterwards she "made it lively" for a few people before she had done with them.