Page 4 Advertisements Column 2

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12570, 3 August 1901, Page 4

AN ACCIDENT ON COCKATOO ISLAND AND ITS SEQUEL OF YEMS OF MIN £25 SUFFERING ) The Case of Mr. 1. BETHKA. {By a Christchurch Reporter). ■ The following facts, which were supplied by Mr. John Bethka, of No. 2 Blackheath Buildings, Durham-street, Sydenham, are widely known, but tney are hero reproduced for the edification .of those wlio are not made familial* with the subject. • “Whilst working bn Cockatoo Island. Sydney, some twelve years ago,” said Mr. Bethka, to the writer, “I met with a serious accident to my head, upon which a heavy; weight fell. Jt is a marvel I was not killed on the spot, but it was a very close shave. Bp to this mishap I had never known what it was to feel unwell, but I was always ailing afterwards. A strange giddiness used to steal upon me quite unawares. If I took a short walk down the road, especially if the sun happened to be shining, I was soon overcome with fatigue, and rendered powerless to continue my journey. Often I did not know how I was going to manage to get home through feeling so exhausted, hut I had to. do it in short stages, taking fie-, quent rests on the way. When at last, after much difficulty, I got inside the house, I used to lie down and fall into a state of coma. Thus I remained for hours, and on consciousness being restored, I felt a frightful dull pain in my head. This was almost an every-day cccunence.” “ ion were unable to work,” 1 expect?” ' . ' “I should rather think I was unable to wprk. Although my health was practically ruined, and my physical vitality. had all gone, I was exceedingly restless. I could not content myself in‘any position but was always on the move. This phase of my illness, lasted some days, then an entire change came over me.’ My eyesight became very had, and I could scarcely see across the road. The beating _of my pulse was very irregular, sometimes the blood go-, ing through ,my veins in leaps and bounds, ’ whilst on other occasions the pulsation was so feeble as to he hardly noticeable. I felt a peculiar numbness taking possession of xny limbs, and it became difficult for m© to speak distinctly. A confusion of thought ran through, my brain, all sorts of imaginations mixing up together. The former restlessness subsided, and I soon became inactive in mind and body. How long I remained thus I cannot say, but I was subsequently told I had. taken a fit.” “ Are'you subject to them now?” “ It is so long since I had .on© that I can safely say lam not. But I do not want to get ahead of my narrative. ’ From that day my health got worse and worse. My nervous system received a tremendous shock. In the course of .my employment I was accustomed to- the. hammering of rivets into plates of iron, and thought nothing of it, hut now 1 could not bear to hear a clock ticking. Any sudden sound sent me into a state of nervous excitement, at the ■ same time making mo tremble in every limb. The fact of being so lifeless and helpless made me extremely irritable, and I am sure I have_ given many a sharp answer to kindly-disposed people, who came to make sympathetic 1 inquiries about my . health, which now seemed irretrievably lost. Another affliction came upon me in regard to my, liver. ' Them was conclusive proof that it was badly diseased.. . The light nourishing, food which was given to me lay in an undigested mass in my stomach, provoking. the most awful sharp pains, and I also experienced pains resembling the slashing of a knife between my shoulder-blades. The lower ribs were attacked in the same merciless way, and' sick headaches -were now continuous- •My tongue was dirty, and rough, and the sweetest of delicacies could not remove the bitter taste which was constantly in,my mouth. Regular fits of vomiting came on. in-the early part of the day, and afterpartaking of food, the came unpleasantness was gone through. Violent windy spasms were also Very troublesome, sometimes _so dreadfully painful as to make me twist and struggle m agony. The pains in my head increased in intensity as time wore on, a»4 often I have been so bewildered and dazed by them that I did not know what I was doing. I have felt the blood throbbing through my temples in such an exasperating manner that X really feared I would' lose my senses. Then an overbearing sense of giddiness used to happen, and I was just like a man in a trance, being scarcely conscious of anything going on around me. After q while I somewhat revived from this stats of stupor,‘ and then I realised more fully the appalling condition of misery my. shattered health had involved.” “ You were undoubtedly in a very ba4 way.” “ You’re right. I could not hare becd any worse than I was, and, still cling to life. I was usually costive,? but sometimes I bad attacks of diarrhoea, which made me weaker than. ever. Thoughts about the- future used ho worry me a great deal, as there did not seem’ to be the remotest chance of my lost health being regained. Even if I happened to snatch a_ brief sleep I was not at vest, as my mind was die* turbed by horrifying dreams, in which I distinctly saw the most repulsive forma and faces. My life was a living tor-* ture, and I often longed for my adversities to be ended one way Or another. When, a person’s constitution is beseiged by disease', there is no happiness in fife-, and I used to think that if I did nob soon get better, it would be a blessing to die. .The bones almost protruded through my skin, and my face was as sallow, and hollow as that of a corpse.” “What kind of treatment were yotl receiving?” ■ ■ • “In the earlier part of my sufferings! I was sent to the hospital. There I received every care and attention, buttha treatment' was evidently not the right Sort, for I got no better. The medicines they gave me made me feel, very sick. My stomach was too weak tW retain, them. Then I was given some-’ thing that I could drink all right, but it failed to have the desired effect, ft At last : I- left the hospital, and then 3D commenced to speculate in many advertised remedies, which were stated to b» good for my complaints. They proved to be a lot of frauds. Not on© of. them had the virtues 'they claimed toj possess, so I lost all’confidence in patent medicines, and abandoned hope entirely. It is very hard to suffer from an incurable disease, and no one but myself can have a faint idea of the mental anguish I endured. ’ i “To look at you now, Mr. Bethka* your disease was not incurable?” # ■ “Neither is any other complaint, il folks only knew the right remedy— at. secret which was imparted to me by aa entire stranger, who heard about raj* case. H© wrote m© a friendly word oiß advice in regard to Clements Tonic,, | which I acted upon. The first bofctlo benefited me somewhat, as my head waa! greatly relieved, and I could sleep. Th© stomach and chest pains were alleviated,! and I became contented and hopeful. Appetite returned, my food soon digest* ed, and in time Clements Tonic gave mo nerves of Steel. ; In short, my disease was completely cured by Clements Tonio, and I have not had a day’s sickness fop twelve years. You, are at liberty tet publish these facts in any. way you desire.” ■ -rr' STATUTORY DECLARATION, r, Jons Bethka, of 2 Blackheath Buildings, Du% ham-street, Sydenham, Christchurch In the Colony of ‘New Zealand, do solemnly and sincerely declare that • I have carefully read the annexed document, consisting of three folios and consecutively numbered from one to three, and that it contains and is a true and faithful account of my Illness and cure by Clements Tonic, and also contains my full permission to publish in any way my statements-which I Rive voluntarily, without receiving any payment; and I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue of tho provisions of an Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand, Intituled “The Justices of Peace Act* 1882." Declared at Sydenham, this sixth day of DeSCUh her, one thousand nine hundred, before, me, . E. HRICKETTS, J.P., 1

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