Spitting Blood Not Sign of Consumption

1919

Most Tuberculosis Patients Never Have This Symptom.

There is no need to become alarmed if one spits blood. It is not, as so many think, a sure sign of consumption, for the overwhelming majority of tuberculosis patients never have this symptom, and the blood may come from the larynx, pharynx, teeth, stomach or even the small intestines.

Dr. H. Rabinowitsch of New York points out in the Medical Journal that when we consider the great size of the arteries that enter the lung and their minute ramifications on the surface of the delicate air cells we should not wonder if blood is sometimes coughed up from the lungs. Severe coughing or straining may easily break a small branch of one of these arteries.

Dr. Rabinowitsch says the hemorrhage itself is of slight moment. If it comes from aneurism, death is almost instantaneous; if it comes from a congested area and is limited, it is in some ways beneficial by relieving the congested area. It has another good effect — making a recalcitrant patient obey the doctor's orders.



Nail Illustrates Progress.

A common nail is an excellent illustration of the difference between old and new methods. Formerly the metal was cut into strips and then forged into shape with hammers. Today they are made of steel and are lighter and stronger. Strips are cut with steam shears and fed into automatic nail machines.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 9.

Miss Cora Chastain Died, 1900

1900, Leon, Iowa area

Miss Cora Chastain died yesterday noon at the home of her mother, southeast of Leon, after a long illness from consumption. She was a member of the graduating class of '98 and a lovable young lady whose friends are numbered by the score. The funeral will be held today at the family residence at 1 o'clock. Interment in the Chastain cemetery.


Cora Chastain.

The funeral of Miss Cora Chastain at the family residence, southeast of Leon, last Thursday, was largely attended, many schoolmates and other friends from Leon showing the last tribute of respect to one they loved. Elder R. W. Castor of the Leon Christian church conducted the services at 1 p. m. and the remains were interred in the Chastain cemetery.

Cora Nyna Chastain was born December 17, 1878, at her home near Leon and died December 19, 1900, aged 22 years and 2 days. She leaves a mother, four brothers, and two sisters to mourn her loss. The father, one brother and two sisters have gone before. Cora was a graduate of the Leon High School class of '98.

Note: These two articles are from an old scrapbook from the Leon, Iowa area.

Mortuary — Cora Bell Cartwright

Leon, Iowa area, 1901

Mortuary.

Cora Bell Cartwright, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Cartwright was born in Davis City, Iowa, Jan. 23, 1879, and died of that dread disease, consumption, at her home in High Point township July 7, 1901, aged 22 years, 5 months and 14 days. She left a father, mother, four brothers and three sisters who were all at her bed side except one, Harry who is in Joplin, Mo. She had been a sufferer for the past five months, but in all her suffering she was patient and cheerful. "Co" as she was familiarly known had a kind word for every one, always ready to do her part, and such nerve and presence of mind as she manifested in her last hours is seldom seen. She called each member of the family and friends to her bedside and bade each one a last good, begging them not to grieve for she was ready to go and wanted rest. She leaves a host of friends to mourn her loss.

Dearest sister you have left us,
To mourn thee here alone,
Thou art singing with the Angels,
Before God's shining throne.

—————

The house occupied by Mrs. Sears will be for rent after June 1.
T. E. HORNER.

Catching Cold, Cough, Consumption

1874

Antique Medical Advice That Might Still Be Good — Who Knows?

A large number of fatal diseases result from taking cold, and often from such slight causes, apparently, as to appear incredible. But, although the causes are various, the result is the same, and arises from the violation of a single principle, to wit, cooling off too soon after exercise. Perhaps this may be more practically instructive if individual instances are named, which, in the opinion of those subsequently seeking advice in the various stages of consumption, were the causes of the great misfortune, premising that when the cold is once taken, marvelously slight causes serve to increase it for the first few days — causes which under ordinary circumstances, even a moderately healthful system would have warded off.

Rachel the tragedienne, increased the cold which ended her life by insufficient clothing in the cars, traveling from New York to Boston; this was her own statement.

The immediate cause of the last illness of Abbott Lawrence, the financier and the philanthropist, was an injudicious change of clothing.

An eminent clergyman got into a cold bed in mid-winter, fifteen minutes after preaching an earnest discourse; he was instantly chilled and died within forty-eight hours.

A promising young teacher walked two miles for exercise, and on returning to his room, it being considered too late to light a fire, sat for half an hour reading a book, and before he knew it a chill passed over him. The next day he had spitting of blood, which was the beginning of the end.

A mother sat sewing for her children to a late hour in the night, and noticing that the fire had gone out, she concluded to retire at once; but thinking she could "finish" in a few minutes, she forgot the passing time, until an hour or more had passed, and she found herself "thoroughly chilled" and a month's illness followed to pay for that one hour.

A little cold taken after a public speech in Chicago, so "little" that no attention was paid to it for several days, culminating in the fatal illness of Stephen A. Douglas. It was a slight cold taken in mid-summer, resulting in congestion of the lungs, that hurried Elizabeth Barrett Browning to the grave within a week. A vigorous young man laid down on an ice chest on a warm summer's day, fell asleep, waked up in a chill which ended in confirmed consumption, of which he died three years later. A man in robust health and in the prime of life began the practise of a cold bath every morning on getting out of bed and standing with his bare feet on a zinc floor during the whole operation; his health soon declined, and ultimately his constitution was entirely undermined.

Many a cold, cough, and consumption are incited into action by pulling off the hat or overcoat as do men, and the bonnet and shawl as do women, immediately on entering the house in winter after a walk. An interval of at least five or ten minutes should be allowed, for however warm or "close" the apartment may appear on first entering, it will seem much less so at the end of five minutes, if the outer garments remain as they were before entering. Any one who judiciously uses this observation, will find a multifold reward in the course of a lifetime.

The Household Garbage Consumer

1896

A Boston physician has invented a vice by which all kitchen garbage may be utilized as fuel. The material is put into a dryer through which the hot air from the range circulates until all the moisture is evaporated. The receptacle then contains a quantity of refuse that is highly inflammable and will make excellent kindling, or may be thrown upon the fire and speedily burns out.

This, of course, is practicable only where people burn coal fires. In wood-stoves the heat is not of the right quality unless the fire is kept up to a raging pitch. Where gas or electricity or oil is used for heating, this way of disposing of garbage is out of the question. There are, however, enough coal-stoves used in our large cities to make this a matter of very great importance. It would pay the Board of Health to furnish these garbage dryers to every family, and pass the most stringent laws compelling their use and proper care.

The most useful plan would be to use the garbage as a fertilizer for worn out lands, but this involves great cost and great danger. Decaying animal and vegetable matter must be carted through the streets, drippings fall upon the pavements, are dried and whirled by the wind into the nostrils of pedestrians.

Where it is possible, garbage should be consumed, and, by the way, a great deal of this is done when nothing is said about it. Many families put into the kitchen range everything of a waste character, and find great economy in fuel in consequence. — New York Ledger.

A Hardened Criminal Once, Now He Helps Reform Others

Davenport, Iowa, 1903

CONVICT TO PREACHER

HISTORY OF STANLEY FORREST, MISSIONARY.

A Hardened Criminal, He Was Arrested For the First Time In His Life Here In Davenport Fifteen Years Ago Today — Served Term In Ft. Madison — Gave Life to Fellow Convicts — Dying of Consumption.

Fifteen years ago today Stanley M. Forrest, one of the smoothest hotel swindlers that the criminal world has ever produced, was taken from his bed in the Harper house, in Rock Island and locked in the Rock Island jail until morning. In the morning he was brought to this city, given a preliminary hearing on the charge of obtaining money under false pretenses from the management of the St. James hotel. Although he stoutly protested his innocence he was convicted in the district court and sentenced to serve two and one-half years at hard labor in the penitentiary at Fort Madison.

Now, today, Stanley M. Forrest, his hair whitened through sorrows and sickness and his once powerful constitution shattered by consumption, is back in this city to close his work as a jail evangelist and a convict's friend, by addressing the inmates of the Rock Island and the Davenport jails in which he was incarcerated fifteen years ago. He feels that the disease from which he is suffering does not give him a great while longer to live, so what could be more fitting than that should close in his work in the city which saw the beginning of the end.

Interesting Life Story.

His life story is one of exceptional interest. It is the story of a life crowded with action. Forty-eight years ago Stanley M. Forrest was born in England. His parents were well-to-do and gave him an exceptionally thorough education. At the age of 23 he came this country, possessed in his own right of some little money. He traveled from one place to another until his money ran out and then started in to live by his wits. Fashionable hotels in large cities presented a target for his practices. His scheme of operations were above the plane of the ordinary criminal. His education and natural good breeding were brought to the aid of a resourceful mind and an ability at disguises and he was very successful, if the word be permitted. In the pursuit of his prey he traveled from one side of the country to the other, never operating in any but the largest and most popular hotels, securing a wide acquaintance with statesmen, jurists and prominent men of business. His affable manners and neat dress gave him easy passport to hotel lobby acquaintances. One single haul netted him $2,800, with never a finger of suspicion pointed at him or the necessity of any attempt at hiding. Then the crash came.

First Arrested Here.

A little over 15 years ago he drifted into this city and registered at the St. James. One day at dinner he checked his overcoat, as usual, and went in dinner. When he came out, according the story which he told last evening to a representative of the Republican, he presented his check at the wardrobe door, but an exhaustive search failed to disclose the garment. It was gone, but that did not trouble the buoyant spirit of Forrest, for he knew that the landlord was responsible for the garment and he was. The landlord advanced him money to purchase a garment to replace the one lost, and he purchased a new coat. That evening Forrest went to the Burtis opera house with a well known woman of the town. He was seen there by an attache of the St. James, who recognized his companion and followed them after the performance, across the river and to the Harper house. Having them safely located he communicated with the hotel and they secured Forrest's arrest, shortly after midnight on the morning of March 6th. He spent the balance of the night in the Rock Island jail and the next morning was brought to this city and lodged in jail.

Convicted and Sentenced.

The charge was that of obtaining money under false pretenses. Forrest waived preliminary examination for the circumstantial evidence was strongly against him. He procured an attorney and made a hard fight for freedom, but the evidence was strongly against him. The theory of the state was that Forrest, unnoticed by the attache of the hotel had gone to the wardrobe, procured his coat, hid it and then boldly presented the check, demanding either the overcoat or its cash equivalent. The result was a conviction, and Forrest stood to receive a long sentence in the penitentiary. But the judge had become impressed by his personality and the apparent frankness of his demeanor in telling his story and he sentenced him to two and one-half years at Fort Madison. The well dressed gentleman of the world donned the convict's stripes with a terrible spirit of revenge nestled down in his heart. As he worked through the sentence at Fort Madison it was with the one determination that, when he was released he would come back to Davenport and shoot the man who had sworn his freedom away. By exemplary behavior in the penitentiary he reduced his sentence eight months and at the end of one year and ten months he was set free.

Fall Was Fast.

But when he stepped from the institute, a free man, his naturally generous spirit again began to return, and instead of coming back to this city to execute his threat he went East. With the stain of the convict upon him he became more careless and bold in his operations and the result that it was not long until he was an inmate of the Ohio penitentiary, serving a year's sentence. He came to be regarded as a criminal whom officials might well fear for his shrewdness and ability at planning and executing affairs which baffled their powers of detection. He was exceptionally lucky, along with his cunning, and while his confederates were sometimes hauled up short he generally escaped, or if arrested for the crime would manage to find a loop hole of escape.

How He Came to Reform.

The causes which led to his reforming were as unique as his career has been. When he was in the penitentiary at Fort Madison a private secretary to the governor of the state used to appear pretty regularly at the penitentiary, that was before the day of the board of control, and make speeches to the convicts. In these it was his custom to praise them for the reformation which he saw being worked out and to tell them how dearly he loved an ex-convict and what he would do for them at any time that it would be in his power. He would generally end his little speech by giving them an invitation to come to see him at any time they were in need or wanted work or help. So it happened that about ten years ago Forrest, tired with continual evading the officers of the law, decided to try and lead an honest life. He drifted to Burlington. The first man he met that he knew was a cellmate of his at Fort Madison. His prison friends told him that he was on his way to see the redoubtable private secretary and Forrest joined him. They found the private secretary to be a very busy man, and after taking their names he turned to dismiss them. But Forrest's companion was insistent. He said he needed help. The secretary gave him a quarter, told him to eat supper and then help himself. The ex-convict took the secretary at his word and helped himself to the secretary's horse and buggy as soon as they reached the open air. The secretary never saw either article again. And Forrest went to Chicago to take his start at honest life.

Rise Was Rapid.

In the world of crime he had been what might be called a successful man. In the world of labor he was almost equally successful. When he arrived in Chicago he applied to the superintendent of the street cleaning department and asked for a position on the streets. He told his story from the beginning of his prison life and said that he wanted a chance. His education stood him in good stead and he was made foreman of a gang. Three months afterward his natural ability won for him the position of chief inspector of streets at a salary of $2,000 a year. He held this position for some time, and married while in it. All of his spare time he began to devote to the work of trying to make the prisoners in the jails of Chicago and neighboring cities better. He was remarkably successful in this line. When the time came that a cutting down in expenses of the street department of the city of Chicago eliminated the office which he held he turned his time more than ever to the new field which had opened up before him and continued to be successful. He entered the penitentiaries and the prisons and talked to the inmates as a comrade who had saw the brighter side to life. His arguments were of the convincing sort. When he met a man who, to his eye, and he is an expert judge of human nature, would be really benefited by a pardon, he immediately set himself to the effort of securing such a pardon, and often he was successful, for executives with the pardoning power came to regard Forrest as a man upon whose word they could depend.

Came to Davenport.

Five years ago, on the anniversary of his first day in prison, Forrest returned to Davenport and did a very considerable amount of work among the people of this city, especially in the jails, both here and in Rock Island. His teachings were productive of much good, and there is one man who will long remember him. One Monday morning, according to Forrest's statements, Mrs. Hill, the police matron, interested him in the case of Joel Bledsoe, at that time serving a sentence in the Rock Island jail for drunkenness. Forrest investigated the case, and as a result he secured Bledsoe's release by signing a personal bond for his future good behavior. Bledsoe was very grateful, and more so when a position was secured for him as janitor of the Y. M. C. A. building. The reform was permanent and effectual. Again three years ago Forrest came to this city and labored for a considerable length of time among the jail inmates.

Sorrows Heap Upon Him.

But the life of love which had been brightening the career of Forrest for seven years came to a sudden end two and one-half years ago, when he suddenly discovered that an ex-convict whom he had taken into his own home in Chicago to keep until a position could be found had proved ungrateful and betrayed the trust of the home. His wife and home gone, Forrest, a tinge of white added to his hair, began with renewed vigor his life-work with the criminal class. His efforts were meeting with greater success than ever, and he was gaining a country wide reputation, when, while at Springfield, Ill., he contracted, a severe cold which developed into the dread consumption. Since that time he has been traveling constantly, seeking health and working among the prisoners in various jails until, a wreck of his former self, with all hope of recovery gone, he has come to Davenport to make his last pleas to criminals and, perhaps, to die in the city of his first arrest and conviction. He will speak tomorrow forenoon at 10:30 o'clock in the Rock Island jail, and in the afternoon at 2:30 in the Scott county jail. Everyone interested in jail work is invited to be present. The local Y. M. C. A, will have charge of both meetings, which will be free, and they will furnish music for each meeting.

How He Works.

A representative of the Republican enjoyed a most interesting visit with Forrest last evening. He is a brilliant conversationalist to start with, and, added to this, his vast fund of experience makes him a most interesting person to listen to. He said: "I have probably been most fortunate in my chosen work, and I blame it to the fact that I know criminals, being a graduate myself; and I know how to approach them. The man who enters the jail and goes up to the prisoner, extends a hearty hand and exclaims, 'Ha, old fellow, glad to see you here,' isn't going to make a success of the work. One must know criminals and approach them in a way at which they can take no offense, yet understand your position. In my experience I have met many criminals and befriended many, and it is seldom that I have been mistaken. I remember once, in Maine, I secured a pardon for a convict in the Thomastown penitentiary in whom I had become interested. He was an Englishman named Bird, and was in for seven years for perjury. I took the pardon to him and found him in a most irritable mood. I drew him to one side and questioned him as to what he might do as soon as he was free, in case he were pardoned. He had recently been flogged for misbehavior, and remarked with an oath that the first thing he would do would be to kill the deputy warden. I took the pardon out before his eyes and tore it into little bits. I knew that that man could not safely be pardoned."

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, March 6, 1903, page 7.