THE following is a summary of my physical, mental, and religious condition in December, 1898: Rheumatism in my left arm, so that it had not been raised to a level with the shoulder without pain for over twelve years; sciatica, more or less active for nineteen years; thigh and knee joints so stiff that I could not cross my legs, and had not been able to do so for several years; dyspepsia, violent at times, so that I had been compelled to exercise the greatest dietetic care for twelve years; and constipation, obstinate and intractable. I also had catarrhal inflammation of the bladder, of several years' duration, and chronic inflammation of the throat for nearly thirty years, with almost constant coughing.
I returned from the army in October, 1865, quite seriously affected with an inactive condition of the bowels, which was a reaction from a long and debilitating attack of camp diarrhœa. This condition was met by frequent changes of diet and much medication until 1886, when all natural movement of the bowels ceased, and they remained in this condition for twelve years. One physician claimed the lower bowel was paralyzed, and therefore incapable of action. For sixteen years I had been an intense sufferer with my eyes. In 1882, I was threatened with paralysis of the optic nerve and total blindness. From April, 1888, to April, 1889, I was kept in a darkened room, from which I seldom emerged during the daytime without being blindfolded. Afterward I wore colored glasses to protect my eyes from the light of day, and was not able at any time for the next nine years to keep up consecutive labor with the eyes. For over ten years I seldom had a waking hour free from pain in the head; it was always present, frequently driving me almost to distraction.
In the fall of 1896, I met with an accident, in which my right shoulder was badly injured, the clavicle being broken in two places and three ribs fractured. Owing to the reduced state of my health, recovery was very slow. It was several months before I was able to use my right arm at all, the pain in the shoulder was constant and severe, and two physicians assured me I need expect very little improvement in this condition. There was no known panacea for pain proceeding from bruised nerves and bones that had been fractured or broken, especially for one advanced in years. Serious heart trouble appeared during the later years of this record of pain and misery. Two boards of medical examiners, one in December, 1897, and the other in the following August (the latter being a test examination), gave me a careful physical examination, and, among other disabilities, diagnosed an alarming heart lesion. I was warned by the physicians to avoid all excitement or violent action, and to keep away from large crowds of people.
