"YOUR LIFE IS NOT WORTH A STRAW."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9581, 4 August 1894, Page 3

"YOUR LIFE IS NOT WORTH A STRAW."

Wot worth a straw, eh ? Then it was worth just nothing—nothing at all. Who has'not weed that comparison a thousand times to express absolute worthlessness ? -A straw?The wind blows it away, fire burns it; up, cattle tread it in the mud, it rots by th< Zk roadside. , What of it? Who cares for a straw? . - 0 i*et this is exactly what a doctor recently said to one of his patients, " Your life is not ~; worthed straw." How much is a doctor; worth who will speak- so to one that trusts him, and has no hope but in his skill? For £ my part, if he were up for sale at auction, I - would bid one straw for himno more. Even if what he said,.was true, he had, no right to say it. Such a doctor is more likely & to kill with his tongue than to cure with his : drugs.. • • ■ - • •••*. A woman tells the Vstory.' and she tells,it ■ well. ■If it doesn't sound like the truth, then |s I don't know what ever does. The dates and the facts are all there; plain ana orderly. J . "In the summer of 1878," she says, "I found myself feeling - tired, languid, lowspirited, and weak. I felt as if some evil: were about to ' happen. My appetite was poor, and after eating I had excruciating pain at my loins and sides. There was a horrible : , gnawing pain at the pit of my stomach, and arising in the throat as if I should choke. My head felt as though I had a ton weight on it. Gradually I cot worse, and for months could take only liquid food. At night I lay awake for hours together. " Later on I suffered greatly from nervous ' f'rostration. My legs trembled and shook so ; feared to fall. If a knock came to the door I trembled from head to foot. ;: I had frequent attacks, which began with palpitation of the -J heart and sudden stoppage; of the breath. 'j At these times I was speechless and helpless. They say 1 I looked like a corpse, cold, and . bloodless, my finger-nails and lips having turned black. After a while this would pass off, leaving me weak and prostrate. I got so emaciated and thin that I was only a bag of bones, md so weak I had to take hold of the ,' furniture to steady myself as I crossed the room. As time went on the nervousness and ; forebodings of ovil so iucreased that I feared ■ I should go out of my mind. ! The neighbours' | said it would be a mercy if the Lord would ' release me from my sufferings. ' :" In this condition I continued for over: four years, during which time I consulted five. ; doctors, but nothing they . gave me did any good. They all said my ailment was heart > disease, and one said,' ' Your life is not worth ; a straw.' . - ' " In despair I gave up taking physic, as I felt that nothing would save me. In May, 1882, ten years ago, a lady (Mrs. Richardson) fe called at my house, told me of Mother Seigel's Curative Syruty and strongly, advised me to , , try it. I did ho, and , felt somewhat. better , after the .first bottle: and by the time I had taken three bottles, I was completely cured. From that to this I have had no return of the attacks, and am so strong I can do any. kind. ot work. But for Seigel'si Syrup I should have S been .in my gravel long ago. I wish others to know this, and will : answer any who call or, write." ; (Signed) Emma< Wiokenden (wife .of William Wickenden, gardener), Pembroke Villas, 123, Moffat Road, Thornton Heath, March 17th, 1892. ; SO it turned out that her life was not only worth ; a (straw, but worth a whole golden harvest of health and better days. Yet no thanks ;to the* doctors. Her complicated symptoms puzzled and alarmed them, to be sure, but wihy? Is it not the doctors duty to understand such things? , Most assuredly. Just as a lawyer, should know - the law, or a;. pilot the'- rocks, tides, and lights- of a coast. ® Had some of these medical men known that Mrs. Wickenden's malady was, indigestion and dyspepsia, and not heart disease, they i , might possibly have relieved, her. Bnt, con;, fused by. the symptoms, they were Wind to ;the cause. "f We may well wonder if there are ■■ many inch doctors » England. *3^-Cases like this show.that the clear sight belonged to Mother 4 Seigel; and to her remedy - hosts of people in this country - - for physical salvation when, in very truth, their lives seemed as straws. " Remember this ten years ago, and the malady has not. returned; showing that the | cure was a peryaanert one. / ,