CHAPTER XII.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 50, 3 April 1885, Page 21

CHAPTER XII.

(.Contimted.) No 45. Osteo-myiclitis op Tibia, Neorosis, ETC. (Voi xiv p 162).—Marie Manin, of Blairville, had " suffared for several years from a white swelling of the knee. The disease increased from day to day and was complicated with osteomyelitis of the tibia,"—that is inflammation of the large bone of the leg. This seems to have terminated m the usual way by the death of a portion of the bone as it is stated thtt suppuration took place soon, and a year afterwards the surgeon who attended her removed from the leg a splinter of bone, measuring 10 to 12 centime tres in length, and one in diameter. There was also a sore in the knee f ;om which purulent matter flowed continuilly, and sometimes blool, and when the suppuration stopped she found herself worse." It was then that she thought of ?oine to I^ides. «» c At Lourdes, before going into the piscina, a physician, who hid before him the certificate of the patient's condition, wished to apceitain on his own account the condition of tbe sore on the knee and found it as is described above. ' Plunged into the miraculous water, Marie felt such great pain in the diseased limb that she could not prevent heiself from uttering a cry. But baying come out of the bath, her sores were found cicatrized and her stick and crutch proved useless. Since her return she asserts that she has felt no pain in the knee and though always limping, she walks with ease, using her bad limb as th": wishes, aud ascends and decends easily. Before her departure from L mrdes she had only asked one favour from the Blessed Virgin, and that was to leave her crutch so as to walk a little more easily. She says that the physici-ins at Lourdes had, before and after her bath, measured her leg, and ascertained ihat there was a lengthening of five centimetres. Remaiks. —The instantaneous healing of the sore on the knee was, of couise, supernatuial. No. 46. CAkibs OP Leg-bones (Vol. xiv., p. 190).—Mdlle Maiie Jourdan, of 10 Rut? Fongate Marseilles, aged 21 years, had been suffering from caries (ulceration of a very severe and generally incurable kind) of the bones of the leg, consequent on a fall. She was obliged to rest constantly in an arm-chair, and suffered" most severe paiu. All kinds of treatment had been tried without producing any amendments. The doctors had ended by declaring an amputation necessary. Her mother would not consent to it, and bavin" no more hope from man, she promised the Blessed Virgin to take° her daughter to Lourdes. They arrived yvith the Marseilles pilgrimage. A first bath in the piscina eased the pains for a time ; they soon re-appeared. After a second bath Marie ceased to limp. But the pains continued. The patient prayed aad communicated ' Afrer her communion of the 12tb, she heard a thanksgiving Mass b fore the Grotto; she suffeied more 'han usual, and at the moment of the Consecration she tainted. When she revived she was taken to the pi-cina, took a third bath, experienced nothing in particular, was entirely cured. Three J. ws of Marseilles, who knew Mdlle. Marie Jourdan. had promised to become Chilians if N^tre Dame de L mrdes cured her. Remaiks.—A case of carious bone, condemned to amputation could not be cured by three cold baths. The cure is unquestionably supernat i ral No. 47. Disease op Ankle (Vol., I. p. 109).—Mdlle. Anna Castex, of Muret, aged 16, was confided to the care of the religious of Kotre Dame de Gbariie of the Refuge at Toulouse, three years and a-balt ago. The chaplain of the Befugd describes her disease thus :— " One day while walking, Anna epramed her right foot. During fifteen months she waa carefully attended to by several physicians and the good Mothers. Nothing could completely get rid of the tpiain. Moreover, the ljmphatic temperament of this young girl added grave complications to the primary illness. The joint of the foot became much swollen and ac lematous ; the slightest movement caused acute pain ; she could not walk or step, or put down the foot: the pain was such that it deprived the poor patient of sleep, and theyjprere obliged -to give up rubbing the foot. S°eing the ineffi. cacit^wness of all the remedies and all the care that was taken the worst was to be feared, and it seemed as if the only possible issue wa« either anchylosis of tbe joint or an amputation which should prevent the caries of the bone from attacking the whole leg. " Before trying the sulphur baths, it was determined to send her to Lourdes. She arrived there on Saturday, August 19, 1882, with the pilgrimage from Toulouse, and was dipped in the piscina about nine o'clock—no impiovement. About four she was at the Grotto, standing up resting on her crutches, when suddenly a sharp pain attacks the diseased leg, and seems to tear tbe foot. A ciacking is produced, and instinctively she fell on her knees. She was cured :— no pain, no swelling ; she could walk, kneel, and run." The physician -who had attended Anna, writes on the 6th of Bep< ember : " The swelling and ajdema have disappeared. The general state of this young girl became more and more satisfactory." The Lady Superior of the religious writes: " Anna Castex has no more pain either in the leg or foot. It seems to her that the limb which has been cured has more strength than that which has never been diseased."

Remarks.— .The positive evidence as to disease of the bone is very clear, though a fuller description from the doctor would have been interesting from the. medical point of view. No natural care could have taken place in the way narrated. No knowu method of treatment could have produced such a cure in less than several weeks or perhaps months. ' No. 48. Ca.ribs;of Heel (Vol. xv p. IH).— Mile. Marie Depooter, No 18 Hue Coinpans, Paris, aged 14 years. The medical certificate states that she hal be^n suff jria-^ for two years from " caries of the calcaneum (bone of tbe heel) of the rijjhfc foot, aud of the femae i thigh bone), and of the left tibia (larger bone of the leg), and that for a long time it has been impossible for her to work." Tired of trying uselessly all kin. ts of remedies, her mother removed her from the care of the doctors, who had told her, " Madame, you will be obliged to bring back your daughter in three months to have her fojt cut off." The patient started for Lourd«9 on two crutches with the sires "in full suppuration." Durin? the journey she seemed to feel aa improvement. After one bath in the piscina, the discnarge and pain, bad completely disappeare \. Sue struck forcibly on the grouad with the foot which, an h >ur before, she could not even lightly touch. OE her terrible disease thore remained only a slight lameness or limp (claudication). Her mother wrote on the 11th September : " I cannot express to yon the admiration with which the doctor saw_ my daughter's foot. The discharge has stopped, and my daughter walks always without crutches." Remark*. — This, of course, is a supernatural cure. The slight lameness or limping would pr >bably disappear as the muscles, wnich had not been exjrcis>d for two years, cane into use. These cases of car c* are paculi »rly interesting and decisive as to the mir icalous powers of the spring. Carl :a is such aa exceedingly obstinate an I intractable farm of ulceration in boae, that it never ia any caps yiddd quickly to treatment of auy kind. Fir the most part, and in all severe cas»s, a surgical operation is required ; the diseased parts have to be sawn or gouged oat, and even thea the operation has frequently to bo repeated. Caries never occurs except ia persona of aa unhealthy constitution, No 49. FDNOOUB ISPLAMMITtON OF BOTH KNEE JOISTS (Vol. xyi p. 200).— Mdile. Marie i'ourel (9Uler Airieune; of the Soearsflospitatieers at Mirecourts (Voages), aged 24 years. ( Nation il pilgrim ige, AugUßtlßß2.) Tne tn:dlcil certificate sta.eita it she ua^bjen suffering frjm "fungous arthritis of both kuee3 for twj yeaw, a disdase against which the most energetic treatment has been practised without appreciable result." After three immersions in the piscina, each one followed by a great amendment, she found hewelf cued, Sevtral pnysicians examined her after her ttiird batu, and fouad no trace of the disease ; there remained only a son ill point a little painful on pressure. Her Superior wrote on the 10th of September : "lam happy to tell you that our Sister Alrieane i* completely cured. Tne piin which she still was Jfealing when she left Lourdes, has quite disappeared, seiematous swelling (empatemenf) of the knees no longer exists. Doctor Masaoa is very surprised at this unexpected improvement, aud in a short time, if Sister Adrienne continues to walk without fatigue or p-iin, he will willingly give a certificate of complete cure. Kemailrs.— Assuming the doctor's first certificate to have been correct, the disappearance of all pain and swelliug, and the ability to walk without fatigue or pain , did constitute a complete cure of f ung ms arthritis — a disease of the joint which hardly ever, I may say never, is cured spontaneously, aud which, in this case, had resisted energetic treatment for two years. The case was 'certainly supernatural. No. 50. Disease of Humebus and Femub (Vol. xvi., p. 201). —Mile. Kosalie Beuhe, of St. George's (Muselle), aged 23 years. (National pilgrimage, Aug. 21-24, 1882.) The certificate of her physician declares that she had " two fistuise communicating with the bones, the one in the left arm and the other in tbe right thigh." Learning her intention of going to Lourdes, the doctor said, •' What are you going to oo there 1 Do you think you can be cured ? " When she arrived oq Tuesday, tbe 21st, the fistulae were running, and were very painful. After two immersions in the bath, it waa discovered that tbe fistula of the arm was completely closed, and that the cicatrisation of the thigh, though incomplete, was very advanced. She writes on September 12th : "lam completely cured. Tbe second fistula has entirefy closed. I went to see tbe doctor who had given me before my departure the certificate which I have had tbe honour to deliver to you. Learning my cure, he refused to examine me. But I have no need of the doctor to tell axe that lam cured, and that I am so by Mary Immaculate." Eemarks.— Fistulas, or sinuses, are openings in the flesh communicating with dead or ulcerated bone, and only finally close when the diseased or dead bone has been removed by operation or by a slow process of healing. In this case a lunger period is n quired before the case can be pronounced a cure, although it is extremely improbable that three weeks would elat>se without some discharge, if a permanent cure bad not been effected. The doctor's conduct in refusing to examine the patient, shows what piejudice ia felt by tbe medical profession in France against the cures at Lourde?, and is a valuable proof that, if false, the accounts of such as are published would soon be contradicted. No. 61. Debobmity and Contraction op leg (Vol. xii., p. 101).— Charles Lamothe (of the pilgrimage of Cette, Julj 24, 1879) was an orphan of the establishment of St. Vincent de Paul, aged 12 years. In January, 1879, be had an inflammation of the chest, which reduced him to such an extremity that he received the last Sacraments. He did not die, however, but he remained crippled. The right leg had become much shorter than the other ; it was quite bent, and so drawn up that it formed sores in the thigh. The doctor wished to ' cat a tendon, The foot was also twisted.

The 24th of July the grandparents of Charles took him to Lourdes j when they got out at the station they went direct to tho Grotto, carrying the boy in a basket. They plunged him immediately in the piscina. The water seemed to boil round the diseased limb The child cried out, " I am cured," and in effect the leg and foot were Btr&iphtened. Although still weak, Charles could walk The editor of the « Annalea " adds, " We learn that tie cure is ponce i • No. 52. Lameness Aprßß Fbactube ("Vol. xii., p. 255) —The following certificate, given by M. Laurent, D.M., of the Hosirice of Langres, describes the case :—: — v •• Eleusippe B — -, of Bosay, unmarried, aged 39 years, had the left leg fractured by the kick of an ox on May 1, 1872. The fracture took a long time to consolidate, and union took place with a ehortening of three centimeires (about 1£ inches). This Ice has undergone a little atrophy [wasting], for if the middle of the calf be measured a difference of one and a half centimetres (about half an inch) between it and the other leg is found. This man limps, and will always limp, and from the atrophy of the muscles there will always be a little weakness on this side." Eleusippe went with the pilgrimage of Dijon and of Langres on {September 26, 1879, and was so much improved that he was able to dispense with a stick which he had always previously used in walking He could walk easily up hill without using a stick. He bad three immersions. The first produced no effect ; the second made an improvement, and by the third he felt himself cured. Keraarks.— lt is to be regretted that a doctor's certificate after his return from Lourdes is not given. Assuming the truth of the statement, a lameness which resulted from a badly-united fracture and which had existed for seven years, was cured by three immersions in a cold bath. I know of no natural explanation of such a cure No. 53. Lameness and Defobmity fVol. xii., p. 43).— The following cure is narrated in the correspondence of a religious paper called La Semaine ReligUvse dn Diocese de Rennes. As the name, etc., is not given, it cau only be considered as an interesting narrative which requires confirmation :—: — A poor girl of Iff en die had been bedridden for nine years, with one leg stiffened and without movement ; the other not only without movement, but cruelly deformed. The knee was twisted, and the foot turned outwards, almost to a right angle. Her health was extremely bad, with great weakness. Tne correspondent states that he saw her before and after her going into the bath, and that she came out perfectly cured could walk, run, etc., i o up the steps, etc. Remarks. — If this case is correctly reported, it could not be considered as otherwise than a supernatural cure, as a case of deformity like the one described, existing for nine years, could not be cured by a single batb. Ko. 54. Dislocation of Femub ; permanent retractation of the muscle of the right leg ; large ulcer on leg (Vol. xi.. p. 223),— The following case is abridged from a very full description which, occupies nearly nine closely-printed pages of the " Annales": — Joacbine Dehaut, of Wanferc^-Baulet, arrondissement of Charlrroi, canton of Gosselies. Belgium, aged 29 years. At the age of 17 Bbc had an attack of cnolera, after that of typhus fever, from which she had an exceedingly tedious recovery. After the typhus she suffered severely from pains in the right leg. In April, 1868, she had a heavy fall on the right knee, followed by the appearance of reddish Bpota ou the ankle, swelling of the foot, and difficulty in walking. The leg became covered with an ulcer, from which there was a horribly foetid discharge. This sore became so deep that on one occasion the patient introduced a thimble into one of the numerous openings whic had formed in it, and could only extract the thimble by the help of scissors. The disease increased, and the swelling of the limb reached the hip. The general health suffered. Tar water, iodide of iron,* cod liver oil, quinine wine, solution of arsenic, had do effect. In 1869 she became worse. Then came on gradually a contraction of the knee, which it was impossible to straighten out. Blisters and hypodermic injections of sulphate of atropine failed to ease the pain. Internally everything that could be thought of was tried ineffecti ally. Matters remained in this state until 1872. Then the disease took an extraordinary form. The lips swelled ; deep sores were formed in them, with foetid suppuration [had mercury been given ?] ; there weie attacks of extraordinary agitation— in one of these vio'ent comtnotious the hip was put out of joint, and soon afterwards there supervened a general paralysis which lasted eleven days. Nevertheless, in June the general state improved. Headaches, which had been frequent, became constant from the 15th of November, 1873. The painful attacks and ulceratioo of the leg persisted always, and the sore was so tender that she ciuld not bear the slightest touch. The foot became more out of shape, turned inwards, aud the leg was bent up on the thigh. So far Dr. Rosart. He died, and the case was taken up by Dr. Delvigne, of Malonne.' He tried all that he could do, without success. The liiub wasted away for want of exerci9", and the foot was quite deformed. In this miserable condition she was enabled by the kindness of Mme. la Comtesßu de Limminghe to undertake a pilgrimage to Lourdes. Previous to her departure she was examined by the desire of the Comtesse by Dr. Kroidbise. of Obey, whose certificate, dated the 6th of September, 1878, is as follows :— " I, the undersigued, Gustave Froidbise, doctor of medicine, etc of Obey, province of Namur. Belgium, de-slare that I have examined Mdlle. Joachine Dahaut, aged 29 years, born at Wanfercee-Baulet Tesiding at Gesves, and have verified as follows : ' " 1. A luxation [■dislocation] of the coxo-femoral articulation of the right side [that is a dislocation of the head of the thigh bone]. "2. Permanent retractation of the lateral tibial muscles of the right leg, to such a degree as to produce an accidental varue, or club foot. "3. An ulcer covering the two-thirds of the outer side of the ightle?.

" la faith of which I have delivered the present declaration. "September 6, 1877 Dr. G. FIODBISE." The highly technical phraseology of this certificate requires a little explanation. The phrase " accidental " club-foot, or varua, means that it was not, like so many such cases— deformity existing since birth, but had been produced accidentally in the course of another disease. On the 10th of September, four days after the d&te of this certificate, she started for Lourdes. The incidents of this journey across Prance are fully narrated. lean only give two ; one was that the odour of the sore was so disgusting that nothing could destroy it, and it appears that her companions could not stop with her. The priest who accompanied the pilgrims thought seriously of leaving her at a hotel in Paris, but she persisted in going on, aud triumphed at last. Ou the evening of tne 12th (Thursday) she arrived at Lourdes. The next day at i a.m. she plunged the first time into the piscina, and was quite astonished to find that she was not cured. She dipped in again, and while her companion was pressing out the water from the linen bandages which covered the sore she felt no pain from the touch. The bather pressed more strongly ; no more pain. She took off the bandages ; the wound was completely healed there was nothing but a redness which marked the place of the* ulcer. She took two more baths that day (to cure the dislocation and club foot.) On Saturday morning after two more immersions she started for Betharram, a neighbouring shrine of the Blessed Virgin. The day was hot, and she perspired freely, and returned to Montant. with two large blisters under her arms produced by the crutches. " She returned to Lourdes and went directly to the Grotto for it was Saturday, the day of our Lady, the day on which she nets to be cured." With much difficulty she got access to the bath and plunged in for the ninth time. « Hardly had she entered than she felt her stomach open like a book. A frightful fit (erUe) occurred ; the violence of the pain drew from her inarticulate cries, it seemed as if her foot were being dragged away from her. At the same time she and her companion saw this deformed foot straighten itself with, the regularity of the hand of a clock which is being pushedjorward. The leg, which was bent double, extended itself, the muscles lengthened themselves, and the knee replaced took again its ordinary form. At the same time the hip made a movement accompanied by an unheard of, unspeakable pain ; it was too much, she dropped fainting into the water, and remained deprived of feeling so long as to frighten the assistant. But she opened her eyes, all pain had ceased, the limbs had resumed their place, she arose straight and agile, the work of the Blessed Virgin was complete, her step regular and equal." So far the inverted commas show an extract which I have translated literally* and without abridgment. I must pass over the account of the extraordinary atritation caused by the miracle ; suffice ie to say that she walked without the slightest difficulty, assisted at processions, ceremonies and ascended the mountains, etc. On the 19th of September she was again examined by Dr. Froidbise who gave the following certificate : " I, the undersigned, doctor of medicine, etc., of Oney, Province of Namur, Belgium, declare tbat I have examined Mile. Joacnine Dehant, aged 29 yeara, born at Wanfercee Baulet, and rending at Gesves; and have ascertained positively that the lesions mentioned in the certificate joined hereto [tbe one given above] have completely disappeared. A simple redness marks the place of the ulcer. "Da. G. Fboidbise. " Gesves, 19th September, 1878." Dr. Delvigne saw her only on the 18th of October, and he declared that the general state was very satisfactory, that all the movements of the f ooc, of the knee, and of the hip are accomplished without the least difficulty, and that the volume of the limb is like that of the other. There remains no trace of the old sufferings, Remarks.— There is not much need for remarks in this case. The copious medical details show tbat the patient was one of those persons with wretched constitutions, who are benefited by no kind of treatment. The treatment appsars to have been skilful and judicious but the patient's constitution prevented it from doing any good.' Of course, there can be no question as to the supernatural character of the cure, Tbe case is extremely well reported, and so backed up by medical certificates that even, the most incredulous surgeon must admit that there was " something " in it. It must be remembered that there were three distinct diasases cured:— l, The dislocation of the,heai of.the thigh boae ;2. Club foot produced by retractation of muscles of the leg ; and 3, a hu<rh ulcer covering two-thirds of tbe outer side of the leg. All these Dr. Froidbise declares have " completely disappeared.'' No. 55. Fbactttbb of tfBCK of Fbmob (Vol. ix., p. 98).— Madeleine Lancereau, aged 61 years, of Poitiers. Nineteen years ago she fell into a cellar, aud broke the bone of tbe left hip {sic. Probably the neck of the thigh" bone, as appears from the sequel.) She was attended by several surgeons — Dw. de Morineau de Bechillon, and Gaillard, woo all recognised the serious character of the injury and the inefficacy of their efforts to cure. Dr. Gaillard who attended h^rat the Hotel Dieu, told her that she would never be free" (libre). The broken bone could never be replaced; there was a hollow where there ought to have beea the bony protuberance of the hip; the leg was shortened by ten centimetres (nearly 4 inches) the foot .was turned inwards, and in the movement of walking the knee of the injured limb rubbed against the right knee. Moreover the patient could not stretch out tne leg, which waa thug half aukyloaed. For several years Madeleine could only walk with crutches Later on she replaced the crutch of the right side by a stick, but the left crutch was always requisite, even to enable her to stand up at her work. She was a washerwoman. She determined to make the pilgrimage toLoardea, and managed to save enough for the journey. She arrived on the 3rd July jqjq on a Monday. She managed to drag herself painfully, helped' br her

crutch and stick, to the church, wiere she co nuunicited. She remained all the rest of the day in prayers before the Grotto. On tbe following day she took a bath, and was cured instantly. She felt an extrordmary tre muling in tne whole limb from the hip downward to the end of the foot. She felt that she was cured, and the persons present united with her in reciting, as an act of thanksgiving, two Mysteries of the Rosary. The Bishop of Poitiers who was preparing to say Mass was informed of the cure, and re-joga ziaa Ma leleiue said, '" I luve seen her using Clutches for more than 15 years." After Mass she was taken into a room and examined by a physician, who cer ified to the perfect cure of the hip, the straightening of the foot, and tne normal length of the leg. She walked witn ease, without any lameness or pain, and did so the whole of the day. Remarks. — This case is taken from the Univers of Poitiers, and republished in the " Aunales." It is, therefore, reproduced here on the authority of the rev. editor of the " Annales." Taking the facts as narrated, it is clear that tbe injury received by Madeleine Lancerau was a fracture of the femur (thigh-bone). The shortening of the leg, the inversion of the fo»t, and the consequent lameness all point to this, supposing that it was a fracture and not a dislocation — and that it was a fracture there seems to have been no doubt. It is hardly to be supposed that the surgeons who saw her after the accident should have nude a mistake in diagnosis. The. phrase " fracture of the hip-bone " is frequently applied by laymen to this fracture of the neck of the femur. Such a fracture not successfully treated at first is always followed by permanent deformity and lameness. Proper union of the fractured portion does not take place, and there is consequently inability to use the limb, and shortening. Such cases are incurabl ;, an t no surgical measures after a lapse of years, caa have any good effect. The cure in this c ise. therefore, admitting the facts to be as narrated, can only have been miraculous. No. 56. Anchylosis op Knee, partial cure (Vi>l. x., p. 102). — Mile. Mtrie Eugeuie Bilon. of Bertrim mtier, in tne V.is^es, agid 34 years. Fourteen years ago, falling on a stone, her knee was seriously wounded, swollen, and painful. It ended by becoming aucnylos>ed. Mile. Bilon could only walk with crutches. She suffered much during the long journey. Plunged into the piscina the 20th of August (.1877), she was able to walk with nit cratches to the house of the Missionaries ; her knee, without being entirely cured, begius to bend, and all pain has disappeared. Remarks. — This case is so imperfectly reported as not to be of much value. A case of lameness lasting for fourteen years, originating in a severe accident, and requiring the use of crutches, could only have been the result of anchylosis. The cure, as far as it went, was not the result of the cold bath only. No. 57. HydkA-Kthbosis op Knkhs (Vol. x., p. 101).— The Rev. Mother Marie des A.nges, Superioress of the Convent of tbe Third Order of St. Dominic at Boulogne sur Mer, aged 48 years — a religious since the age of 15. More than three years ago a sprain of the knee produced an effusion of synovia [" joint oil," in common parlance] and an enormous swelling, which made her suffer much. She came to Lourdes, without desiriug it, on the express order of the Superioress- General ; she suffered cruelly during the journey. Two religious, her companions, plunged her twice into the piscin a, without her experiencing any relief. Plunged a third time, she felt herself cured ; the pain and swelling had totally disappeared. Remarks.— The above is a literal translation of all the particulars given of this most interesting and unquestionably supernatuarl case. It is much to-be regretted that such cases as these should not be supported by formal testimonials. For Catholics the particulars given are sufficient, for we know that the name of the religious and of her Community is a sufficient guarantee of the correctness of the statements. For others, it may be pointed out that the name of the Community, and of the particular house, being given, it would be easy to ascertain tbe facts, and that to publish such a case in a sceptical country like France would inevitably incur exposure, if any deception were practised.

•This part of ths account is taken from the notes of the doctor who at--etnded her.

* Except by changing the present tense into the past,