Poisoned from Head to Foot.

Manawatu Herald, 10 August 1897, Page 3

Poisoned from Head to Foot.

-, • " W« call partioalar attention to the subjoined statement. No incident of its kind, Of equal interest and importance, has occurred of late year?. A declaration so •tattling in its general scope, and so full •f corroborative detail, certainly warrants the conclusion that a new epoch in the healing art has dawned upon us. Aside from the force of the legal forms which it assumes, the facts, as alleged, rest upon th« results of a thorough and careful investigation. (Copy. I, George Lack, of 123, Stamford Street, Waterloo Road, London, do solemnly and sinoarely declare as follows :— " I was always a strong, healthy man up j to April, 1876. At 'thiß time, whilst engaged at the Stamford Street Embroidery Works, cleaning oat a tank which had been used for dyeing purposes, I slipped and fell in the tank (which was covered with verdigris), cutting both my elbows. The parts soon became swollen, and in a week's time the flesh was putrid, as if gangrene had Bet in. My system seemed to be poisoned, and I began to lose strength rapidly, for my appetite left me and I could not bear the sight of food, what litt'e I did eat lay on my chest like lead. I went to the Royal Free Hospital, Gray's Inn Road, where I was under treatment for five weeks, but I got worse. After this I got an order and went into the Lambeth Infirmary, where I was placed in No. 11 Ward. At this tme my condition had become serious, for I felt so sick and faint that I could scarcely move, and, after a time, I got so bad that I could only get up for an hour or two fach day. Later large abscesses formed on my shoulder, and gradually spread over ray face and the upper part of my body. My face was completely covered with the abscesses, which, on healing, left deep marks, that I bear to this day. After this I had swelling around the joints, and large abscesses formed in the calf of my leg, and I had also running wounds, extending from the top of my ankle to the bottom of my feet. An offensive discharge of matter came from the parts, and it seemed as if the abscesses w«r« drawing the life oat of me. I was

( now in a hopeless, helpless state, and felt that I did not care how soon my end oame. For days and days I never closed my eyea, and on one occasion I had hit little sleep for eighteen days and niglits together, the doctor's sleeping draughts having no effect upon me. When I did at length fall aaleep I slept from Thursday to Sunday afternoon. From all the doctor's medicines and applications I only got temporary relief. On one oocasion the doctor •aid that I could not live throughout the day. The nurses placed a screen round my bed, expecting that I should die during the day, and my brother was sent for. When the doctor called at night he was surprised to find me alive. However I took a tarn for the better, but for months afterwards I was, as it were, on the brink of the grave. I had to be lifted in and ont of bed, and was fed on slops and light food. Sometimes better, and at other times worse, I continued in this wretched state for over five years, during which time I remained in the hospital. In August, 1881, I became tired of being in the hospital, and was carried to my house. I was so weak and emaciated that I got a pair of crutches to help me to hobble about the house. My father and friends who saw me were shocked at my feeble and emaciated appearance, and thought I wa3 not long for this world. I lingered on in the came wretched state for two more years, expecting and wishing that I should soon be but of my misery. In November, 1883, after Buffeting over seven years, my father bought me a bottle of medicine i called Mother Seigel's Curative Syrup, and , persuaded me to try it, Baying that it had i been of great benefit to him. After I had j I taken half the contents of a bottle, I felt brighter and in better spirits than I had ! been for years. My appetite improved, and by continuing with the medicine say legs began to heal, and I got stronger and stronger. In leas than three months I was able to put aside my crutches and walk with the aid of a stick. After I had taken Mother Seigel's Curative Syrup six months I was back at my work, as strong as ever I was in ray life, and have since kpt in the beat of health. I wish the particulars of my case known to other sufferers, and the Proprietors have my consent to make what use they like of this statement. And I make this solemn declaration, conscientiously believing the same to be true. By virtue of the provisions of the Statutory Declaration Act, 1835 (Will. IV. c. 63), (Signed) " George Lack." Declared at No. 16, Godliman Street, , Doctor's Commons, in the City of* London, this 13«h day of April, 1893, before me, (Signed) George H. Brooks, a Commissioner for Oaths. Here we have a case of profound and persuasive blood poisoning. Verdigris (chemically the bibasic acetate of copper) is, when introduced into the circulation, a slow poison, for which no positive antidote is known. There is no doubt that the physicians in the hospitals did all that could be done, with the knowledge and resources at their command. Unhappily their treatment, at best, was only mildly palliative ; the poison continued its deadly work, until it saturated the poor fellow's entire system. and perverted a'l its functions. What but an ultimately fatal result could have been reasonably expected ? Mr Lack's final and perfect recovery, through the use of Seigel's Syrup, illustrates beyond the need of oomment the unprecedented power of that well-known remedy to renew the digestion, stimulate the secretory organs, and thus to purify the blood. In common with all who shall read the details of this case, we most keenly regret that Seigel's Syrup was not taken immediately after the xesults of the accident first appeared.