Suddenly Stricken Blind.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 304, 3 October 1888, Page 6

Suddenly Stricken Blind.

A catastrophe such as few men haye the stoicism bo bear and few survive 'ha£j(says the c Cincinnati Enquirer ') come like a thunderclap upon Charles Cullinan, of 52, Brown-street. Last Saturday night, while auditing the books of the Bellevue Building Association, at their^rooms on M'Micken Avenue, he turned suddenly to one of the bystanders and exclaimed, ' Why do you turnout the gas? I'm not through yet.' ' Turn out] the gas? What's the matter with -you? TheS'gas is burning;'^/ My God, then I'm blind,' cried Cullmajn,' and sinking back in jjhis chair, from which he had arisen in his excitement, he buried his face in his hands and moaned and wept like a child. Dr. Schwartmeyer, his regular physician, was hastily sent for, and only arrived to confirm the worst fears. Ctyilman was indeed blind. Without a premonitory sign,, without a warning, the blow had come and as he sat there bemoaning his sacLfate, eyesgrewdincu Friends took him by the hand , and trembled with emotiom as they*tried to speak - words of ' hope and comfort.*"; The stricken man only moaned. '.My 'wife! My little v ones !' Drs. , Ayres and JSattler,' the noted specialists, were summoned. A diagnosis followed, and it was/discpyered ~that Cullinan had, for ,some;time r \been a sufferer from B right's' disease of thejfeidneys. The exudations of the albumen ;from M these organs caused ufssmic, blood-poisoning, which gradually pervaded/ the wh pie-system -of the sufferer. . Step'^by; step tn^-msease spread, and contraction of, tKe'kidn'eys'followed, resulting v 4n .inflammation 'o^'tKei retina or. opticrierye^'hop' elesgly des£r6y^ng the - , sight for evei*. iThe.caselalthyugli^npt anjsolated one, is^extrerQely-rare^.desSjH-gener- * ally ensuing' before, such^crisis'amyes.- As : rj.