Adhesion Protein Protocols 2nd Edition Celeste M. Nelson
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- 5. Adhesion Protein Protocols 2nd Edition Celeste M. Nelson Digital Instant Download Author(s): Celeste M. Nelson, Wendy F. Liu, Christopher S. Chen (auth.), Amanda S. Coutts (eds.) ISBN(s): 9781588295330, 1588295338 Edition: 2 File Details: PDF, 3.82 MB Year: 2007 Language: english
- 10. Bowtie-Shaped Microwells 1 1 From: Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 370: Adhesion Protein Protocols, Second Edition Edited by: A. S. Coutts © Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ 1 Manipulation of Cell–Cell Adhesion Using Bowtie-Shaped Microwells Celeste M. Nelson, Wendy F. Liu, and Christopher S. Chen Summary Traditional methods to study cell–cell adhesion have been limited by their inability to manipulate cell–cell interactions without simultaneously affecting other microenvironmen- tal factors. Here we describe a novel method that enables the culture of cells with precise simultaneous control of both cell–cell and cell–substratum adhesion. Using microfabri- cated stamps of poly(dimethylsiloxane), we construct bowtie-shaped agarose microwells into which cells can be cultured. The degree to which cells spread is controlled by the size of the microwell; cell–cell contacts form between neighboring cells within the microwell. This chapter describes the details of stamp fabrication, agarose microwell construction, and cell culture in micropatterned substrata. Key Words: Cell–cell interaction; cadherin; microfabrication. 1. Introduction Micropatterning has emerged as a valuable family of techniques to precisely control the cellular adhesive environment (1). Adherent cells monitor and respond to their surroundings using receptors on their surfaces that bind to ligands both in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and on neighboring cells. Micropatterning allows the investigator to present these cues in spatially organized arrangements to cells in culture with micrometer precision, providing a means to explore struc- ture–function relationships between cells and their extracellular space. Biologi- cal studies using micropatterning have examined the roles of cell–ECM (2,3) and cell–cell (4–6) interactions in the control of cellular function with a speci- ficity that could not have been accomplished using traditional techniques. Cells adhere to the surrounding ECM and neighboring cells through several classes of transmembrane proteins that mechanically link to the intracellular
- 11. 2 Nelson et al. cytoskeleton. Cell–ECM and cell–cell binding interactions play an important role in regulating a number of processes, including proliferation, differentiation, and gene expression. Cell adhesion to the ECM involves binding and cluster- ing of integrins and cell spreading against the matrix. Both integrin binding and changes in cell shape appear to be important mediators of cell signaling and function (7). While many techniques have been developed to manipulate cell–ECM interactions (8,9), controlling cell–cell interactions is less straight- forward. Early studies examining the effects of cell–cell interactions on cellular function were limited to observations of cells grown in typical culture condi- tions. Cells cultured at a low density in Petri dishes form few cell–cell adhesions, whereas cells that grow to a high density form many more cell–cell adhesions; observed differences between the behaviors of cells at low and high density were then correlated to the effects of cell–cell adhesion (10,11). In other studies, the aggregation of cells in suspension was used to determine relative cell–cell inter- action strength (12). One confounding problem with the interpretation of these experiments is that the density or aggregation context also modulates other envi- ronmental cues. For example, the concentration of secreted soluble factors in the media may be greater for high-density cultures. Adhesive factors or cell spread- ing against the surface also varies: typically, cells at a low density are spread to a greater extent than cells at a higher density. Because cadherins, the primary adhesive molecules involved in cell–cell adhesion, are dependent on extracel- lular calcium, engagement of cadherin contacts can be induced by removal and then addition of extracellular calcium into the media—also known as a “calcium switch” assay (13). Again, however, decreasing calcium concentration causes cells to round up and alters cell–ECM adhesion. As many investigations have shown, cell–ECM adhesion alone directly affects cell function, perhaps through biochemical, cytoskeletal, or mechanical changes (2,8). An alternative method used to study cell–cell contacts applies isolated plasma membranes to cells in culture, which was observed to mimic the effects of high cell density (14). After the identification of specific families of cell–cell adhesion receptors (15), some groups have more recently begun to examine the effects of cadherin engage- ment using protein-coated beads or surfaces (16,17). Whereas studies have shown that contact to a cadherin-coated bead can induce biological responses similar to cadherin-mediated contact to neighboring cells (18), the physiological relevance and biological significance of engaging a cadherin molecule attached to a bead or surface are uncertain. Here we describe a novel microfabrication method used to isolate the effects of cell–cell contact while holding constant cell–ECM adhesion by controlling the degree to which cells spread against the underlying substratum. Cells are seeded into bowtie-shaped microwells so that at most one pair of cells is cultured within each microwell, and thus each cell only contacts a single neighboring cell.
- 12. Bowtie-Shaped Microwells 3 The degree of cell spreading is determined by the area of the microwell. This technique allows the control of cell–cell contacts without changing the effective culture density, the aggregation context, or the extracellular ion concentration. Furthermore, the cadherin contacts are formed with neighboring cells and are therefore physiologically relevant. Studies using these microwells have demon- strated that some effects traditionally attributed to cell–cell contact are actually caused by contact-mediated changes in cell–ECM adhesion and that the regu- larity of cell–cell adhesions formed in this assay can amplify the specific effects of cell–cell contact that might otherwise be lost in the heterogeneity of typical culture conditions (5,6). Here we describe the procedure used to produce bow- tie-shaped microwells. We describe the photolithographic methods used to gen- erate the master templates from which rubber stamps are cast. The stamps are then used to produce agarose substrata on glass, onto which cells can be cultured and studied. 2. Materials 1. Silicon wafers (2- to 3-in. diameter, test grade, 13–17 mils, <100> orientation, 1–10 Ωcm; Silicon Sense, Nashua, NH). 2. SU-8-negative photoresist (MicroChem Corp., Newton, MA). 3. Spin-coater (Headway Research, Inc., Garland, TX). 4. Mask aligner (Karl Suss, Waterbury Center, VT). 5. Propyleneglycol methyl ether acetate developer (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO). 6. Digital hotplate (Barnstead Thermolyne, Dubuque, IA). 7. Vacuum dessicator (Fisher Scientific, Hampton, NH). 8. (Tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2,-tetrahydrooctyl)-1-trichlorosilane (United Chemical Tech- nologies, Bristol, PA). 9. Glass slides (Fisher Scientific). 10. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS; Sylgard 184; Ellsworth Adhesives, Germantown, WI). 11. UVO cleaner (Jelight Corporation, Irvine, CA). 12. Superfrost glass slides (Fisher Scientific). 13. Agarose (ISCBioExpress, Kaysville, UT). 14. Ethanol (200 proof). 15. Fibronectin (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA). 16. Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). 3. Methods Our goal was to develop a technique to control cell–cell adhesion while simul- taneously controlling cell spreading. Our design is a substratum consisting of bowtie-shaped islands of matrix surrounded by nonadhesive regions. Each cell of a pair adheres and spreads to fill one half of the bowtie-shaped region; the cells contact each other at the central constriction of the bowtie. We initially screened
- 13. 4 Nelson et al. several shapes, including overlapping circles and squares, and found that endo- thelial cells spread best to fill the triangular features comprising one half of the bowtie-shaped patterns. We have not tested all geometries, and other cell types may spread preferentially in other shapes. We found that in order to precisely control the area of cell–cell contact and prevent the contact from expanding, we had to culture cells within shallow wells of nonadhesive material; molding a thin film of agarose gel worked well for our purposes. The methods described here outline the following (Fig. 1): 1. Fabrication of the master. 2. Molding and treatment of the stamp. 3. Construction of the agarose wells. 4. Coating of the wells and plating of cells. Fig. 1. Schematic of patterning process. PDMS, poly(dimethyl siloxane).
- 14. Bowtie-Shaped Microwells 5 3.1. Master Fabrication 1. Spin SU-8 photoresist on the shiny side of a clean silicon wafer for the specified rate and duration, depending on the desired height of microwells (a table with spin parameters for various desired thicknesses of resist can be found on the Micro- Chem website: http://www.microchem.com/products/su_eight.htm). There are many kinds of photoresist, but they all fall into two classes: positive and negative. For positive resists, the region to be removed is exposed to UV light, which alters the chemical structure of the resist and thereby renders it soluble to a particular developing solvent. The exposed resist is washed away during the developing step (see step 5), leaving a pattern of raised features on the wafer identical to the dark regions on the photomask. For negative resists, the region to be removed is blocked from exposure to UV light, which polymerizes the resist and thereby ren- ders it insoluble to the developing solvent. The exposed resist remains on the wafer during the developing step, with the unexposed regions washing away, leaving a pattern of raised features identical to the clear regions on the photomask. There- fore, the choice of resist type (positive or negative) and design of photomask (dark- field or clear-field) go hand-in-hand. SU-8 is a negative photoresist, therefore the dark regions (bowtie shapes) on the photomask used will correspond to the eventual agarose microwells. The height of the microwells is determined by the thickness of the resist spun onto the wafer; negative resists in general, and SU-8 in particu- lar, are suitable for making thick layers. We have found that resist thicknesses of 10–50 µm are needed to construct the agarose microwells. 2. Place the wafer on a digital hot plate for “soft bake” to evaporate solvent and dry the resist onto the surface of the wafer. The duration and temperature of baking depend on the thickness of the SU-8; a table of these parameters can also be found on the MicroChem website. 3. Place the wafer and chrome mask in the mask aligner, chrome-side down, and expose with approx 10–12 mJ/cm2 of UV irradiation per µm thickness of resist (e.g., if making 50-µm-thick master, use 600 mJ/cm2). 4. Remove the mask and place the wafer on a digital hot plate set at 90°C for at least 5 min (“hard bake”). 5. Immerse the master into a bath of propyleneglycol methyl ether acetate develop- ing solution and shake gently until the pattern can be observed (approx 2 min, but time will depend on thickness of the resist). 6. Dry the master under a steady stream of compressed nitrogen gas. 7. To aid in the later removal of PDMS, place the silicon master in a vacuum dessicator with a glass slide containing a drop of (tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2,-tetrahydrooctyl)-1-tri- chlorosilane. Evacuate the chamber. Sufficient silanization can be achieved either by exposing to vacuum overnight or by isolating the chamber for 2 h after evacuation. 3.2. Molding and Treatment of the Stamp 1. Prepare 30 g 10:1 (w/w) PDMS polymer:curing agent solution. Mix thoroughly and remove air bubbles by placing the mixture in a vacuum dessicator. This volume of PDMS is sufficient for a 2- or 3-in. silicon master in a standard 100-mm Petri dish.
- 15. 6 Nelson et al. 2. Pour degassed PDMS mixture onto silicon master. 3. Bake at 60°C for 2 h. 4. Carefully peel hardened PDMS stamp from silicon master. Silicon masters can be reused indefinitely. 5. Treat stamp for 5 min in UV/ozone cleaner. Stamps should be used to make aga- rose wells on the same day as UV/ozone treatment (see Note 1). 3.3. Construction of Agarose Wells The goal of this procedure is to fill the channels between the PDMS stamp and the glass slide with agarose. When the stamp is removed, the agarose “walls” surround glass-bottomed “wells,” into which the cells will later be seeded. There are two major obstacles to filling PDMS channels with agarose: (1) the PDMS channels are quite hydrophobic and prevent the flow of aqueous solutions through them, and (2) aqueous agarose solutions are quite viscous, have a high surface tension, and do not flow very readily. The first obstacle is addressed (Subhead- ing 3.2., step 5) by treating the PDMS stamp in the UV/ozone cleaner, which modifies the surface of the stamp to render it more hydrophilic and helps the solution flow through the channels. The second obstacle is addressed by add- ing ethanol to the agarose solution to decrease both its viscosity and surface tension. The procedure described below was arrived at empirically in our labo- ratory, and certain details might need to be altered depending on experimental conditions. 1. Prepare a solution of 1% agarose in distilled water. Heat to 80°C. The stock solution of 1% agarose can be reused, but should be stored in a tightly sealed container to prevent evaporation or contamination. 2. Mix six parts 1% agarose solution with four parts 200-proof ethanol. Because etha- nol evaporates readily, the agarose/ethanol solution should be prepared fresh for each batch of microwells (see Note 2). 3. Seal UV/ozone-treated stamp against Superfrost slide, feature-side down. 4. Pipet a drop of the hot agarose/ethanol solution against the side of the sealed stamp. Allow the solution to perfuse through the channels formed between the stamp and the slide. The volume of agarose/ethanol solution required per sample will depend on the size of the stamp. Adequate perfusion can be obtained with stamps approx 0.5 cm wide. 5. Dry the slides by placing in a vacuum dessicator for approx 10 min, or until dry. During this time the agarose will gel and the solvent will evaporate, leaving a thin film of agarose in the desired pattern on the glass slide (see Note 3). 6. Carefully remove the stamp from the slide with fine-tipped forceps. During removal, avoid any lateral movement of the stamp, which may smear the agarose film and deform or destroy the microwells (in other words, pull the stamp straight up). Each microwell will consist of a base of bare glass surrounded by walls of agarose and can be easily inspected for defects using a standard microscope (Fig. 2A).
- 16. Bowtie-Shaped Microwells 7 3.4. Coating and Cell Culture After construction of the agarose microwells, cells can be seeded directly into the untreated glass wells or the wells may first be coated with a specific ECM pro- tein to which the cells can subsequently adhere. For endothelial cells, we typi- cally coat the wells with a solution of fibronectin. Because agarose is a hydrogel, it is relatively resistant to protein adsorption, so fibronectin adsorbs only to the bare glass bases of the microwells (5) (Fig. 2B). Because agarose resists adsorp- tion of ECM proteins necessary for cell adhesion, it consequently resists cell attachment; when cells are seeded onto the substratum, they attach exclusively to the glass-bottomed wells (see Note 4). 1. Place agarose-coated slides in 70% ethanol solution to sterilize for cell culture. 2. Rinse twice with PBS. 3. Coat with 25 µg/mL solution of fibronectin in PBS for 1–2 h at room temperature. 4. Rinse twice with PBS. 5. Plate cells on agarose-coated slides in normal culture media. Allow cells to adhere in wells. Rinse to remove excess cells (Fig. 2C,D). 3.5. Experimental Analysis We have found that a typical substratum will yield several hundred bowtie- shaped cultures, some of which contain a pair of contacting cells, and some of which contain a single cell without a neighbor. Each substratum sample there- fore consists of a subpopulation of cells (the single cells) that acts as an internal control. However, because of the small number of cells and the heterogeneity of the bowties on a single substratum, experimental analysis is limited primarily to in situ techniques. We have used the bowtie microwells to examine the effects of cell–cell contact on proliferation by staining for BrdU incorporation (5,19) and on cell–ECM adhesion by immunofluorescence analysis (20). One should Fig. 2. Bowtie-shaped agarose microwells restrict protein adsorption, cell attachment and spreading, and cell–cell adhesion. Shown are (A) phase contrast image of agarose wells, (B) fluorescence image of staining for fibronectin, (C) phase contrast image of cells, and (D) β-catenin in bowtie-shaped microwells. A: Bar = 50 µm; B–D: Bar = 10 µm.
- 17. 8 Nelson et al. also be able to combine the bowtie microwells with in situ hybridization or in situ reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) to study changes in gene expression. Theoretically, one should be able to scale up the technique; larger patterned areas or a higher percentage of patterned pairs of cells would allow one to obtain enough material for bulk population analysis (via Western blotting, etc.). The method is adaptable for different types of cells. In addition to a number of types of endothelial cells, we have successfully cultured smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells in the bowtie microwells (see Note 5). The agar- ose bowties are best suited for experiments of short duration (less than a few days), because the agarose layer tends to detach from the glass over extended periods in aqueous solutions, such as culture media (21) (see Note 6). 4. Notes 1. Stamps can be reused four to five times. 2. If the final ethanol concentration is too high, agarose will precipitate out of solution and the film is no longer nonadhesive. 3. The agarose layer will detach from the slide if it is not first dried completely. 4. Because of chemical modifications, low-melt agarose is not resistant to protein adsorption. Thus, cells would adhere everywhere to such a substratum. 5. Some of the patterning parameters may need to be altered when working with dif- ferent types of cells. We have found that longer drying times are needed to increase the stiffness of the agarose gel for some cell lines (such as normal rat kidney epi- thelial cells). 6. For experiments that require patterning cells over longer time scales, we have devel- oped an alternative method of constructing wells with walls of nonadhesive poly- acrylamide gel (21). These substrata will maintain their pattern for at least 2 mo. Acknowledgments This work was supported by grants from the NIH, the Whitaker Foundation, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. C.M.N. acknowledges financial support from the Whitaker Foundation, and W.F.L. was supported by the National Science Foundation. References 1. Folch, A. and Toner, M. (2000) Microengineering of cellular interactions. Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng. 2, 227–256. 2. Chen, C. S., Mrksich, M., Huang, S., Whitesides, G. M., and Ingber, D. E. (1997) Geometric control of cell life and death. Science 276, 1425–1428. 3. McBeath, R., Pirone, D. M., Nelson, C. M., Bhadriraju, K., and Chen, C. S. (2004) Cell shape, cytoskeletal tension, and RhoA regulate stem cell lineage commitment. Dev. Cell 6, 483–495. 1 2 3
- 18. Bowtie-Shaped Microwells 9 4. Bhatia, S. N., Balis, U. J., Yarmush, M. L., and Toner, M. (1999) Effect of cell– cell interactions in preservation of cellular phenotype: cocultivation of hepato- cytes and nonparenchymal cells. FASEB J. 13, 1883–1900. 5. Nelson, C. M. and Chen, C. S. (2002) Cell–cell signaling by direct contact increases cell proliferation via a PI3K-dependent signal. FEBS Lett. 514, 238–242. 6. Nelson, C. M. and Chen, C. S. (2003) VE-cadherin simultaneously stimulates and inhibits cell proliferation by altering cytoskeletal structure and tension. J. Cell Sci. 116, 3571–3581. 7. Huang, S. and Ingber, D. E. (1999) The structural and mechanical complexity of cell-growth control. Nat. Cell Biol. 1, E131–138. 8. Folkman, J. and Moscona, A. (1978) Role of cell shape in growth control. Nature 273, 345–349. 9. Singhvi, R., et al. (1994) Engineering cell shape and function. Science 264, 696– 698. 10. Holley, R. W. and Kiernan, J. A. (1968) “Contact inhibition” of cell division in 3T3 cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 60, 300–304. 11. Stoker, M. G. and Rubin, H. (1967) Density dependent inhibition of cell growth in culture. Nature 215, 171–172. 12. Steinberg, M. S. and Takeichi, M. (1994) Experimental specification of cell sort- ing, tissue spreading, and specific spatial patterning by quantitative differences in cadherin expression. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91, 206–209. 13. Gonzalez-Mariscal, L., Chavez de Ramirez, B., and Cereijido, M. (1985) Tight junc- tion formation in cultured epithelial cells (MDCK). J. Membr. Biol. 86, 113–125. 14. Nakamura, T., Yoshimoto, K., Nakayama, Y., Tomita, Y., and Ichihara, A. (1983) Reciprocal modulation of growth and differentiated functions of mature rat hepato- cytes in primary culture by cell—cell contact and cell membranes. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80, 7229–7233. 15. Takeichi, M. (1977) Functional correlation between cell adhesive properties and some cell surface proteins. J. Cell Biol. 75, 464–474. 16. Kovacs, E. M., Ali, R. G., McCormack, A. J., and Yap, A. S. (2002) E-cadherin homophilic ligation directly signals through Rac and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase to regulate adhesive contacts. J. Biol. Chem. 277, 6708–6718. 17. Levenberg, S., Katz, B. Z., Yamada, K. M., and Geiger, B. (1998) Long-range and selective autoregulation of cell–cell or cell-matrix adhesions by cadherin or integrin ligands. J. Cell Sci. 111 (Pt. 3), 347–357. 18. Lambert, M., Padilla, F., and Mege, R. M. (2000) Immobilized dimers of N-cad- herin-Fc chimera mimic cadherin-mediated cell contact formation: contribution of both outside-in and inside-out signals. J. Cell Sci. 113, 2207–2219. 19. Liu, W. F., Nelson, C. M., Pirone, D. M., and Chen, C. S. (2006) E-cadherin engagement stimulates proliferation via Rac1. J. Cell Biol. 173, 431–441. 20. Nelson, C. M., Pirone, D. M., Tan, J. L., and Chen, C. S. (2004) Vascular endothe- lial-cadherin regulates cytoskeletal tension, cell spreading, and focal adhesions by stimulating RhoA. Mol. Biol. Cell 15, 2943–2953. 21. Nelson, C. M., Raghavan, S., Tan, J. L., and Chen, C. S. (2003) Degradation of micropatterned surfaces by cell-dependent and -independent processes. Langmuir 19, 1493–1499. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 4 5 6
- 19. 10 Nelson et al.
- 20. Separation of Cell–Cell Adhesion Complexes 11 11 From: Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 370: Adhesion Protein Protocols, Second Edition Edited by: A. S. Coutts © Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ 2 Separation of Cell–Cell Adhesion Complexes by Differential Centrifugation Roger Vogelmann and W. James Nelson Summary The number of proteins found associated with cell–cell adhesion substructures is grow- ing rapidly. Based on potential protein–protein interactions, complex protein networks at cell–cell contacts can be modeled. Traditional studies to examine protein–protein interac- tions include co-immunoprecipitation or pull-down experiments of tagged proteins. These studies provide valuable information that proteins can associate directly or indirectly through other proteins in a complex. However, they do not clarify if a given protein is part of other protein complexes or inform about the specificity of those interactions in the con- text of adhesion substructures. Thus, it is not clear if models compiled from these types of studies reflect the combination of protein interactions in the adhesion complex in vivo for a specific cell type. Therefore, we present here a method to separate cell–cell contact membrane substructures with their associated protein complexes based on their buoyant behavior in iodixanol density gradients. Analysis of 16 proteins of the apical junctional complex (AJC) in epithelial Madin–Darby canine kidney cells revealed a more simple organization of the AJC adhesion complex than that predicted from the combination of all possible protein–protein interactions defined from co-immunoprecipitation and pull- down experiments. Key Words: Cell polarity; tight junction; adherens junction; protein complex; Ig superfamily receptors; apical junctional complex; density gradient. 1. Introduction Cell–cell adhesion complexes are important regulators of cellular functions. The apical junctional complex (AJC) in epithelia regulates cell–cell adhesion between neighboring cells, structural and functional integrity of the epithelial barrier, contractile forces during morphogenesis and wound healing, cell pro- liferation, cell differentiation, and cell polarity (1,2). In order to understand
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- 22. tight, flat and stiff, across the body. The arrangement of the midriff is such, as always to form a strong support to the heart and lungs, as it floats below the lungs, every time we empty the air out from the chest. The midriff is united, or fastened to the back bone, breast bone, and the middle of the ribs; therefore, we say the right and left portions float upward into the chest. How often is this part strained, and then called consumption! I allow there may be a cough, and tightness across the chest; but the real cause is, the lungs have lost their support, and consequently they wither and decay, unless you can strengthen the floor or support, that is, the ligaments; the symptoms are, you are unable to draw a long breath; if you go up stairs, your breath becomes short. How many of you have had relations or some female friend, whom you considered near dying of consumption, but fortunately became pregnant; and she, to your astonishment, enjoyed better health than for years previous. But how could it be so? Why, this is the cause: as soon as the fœtus rose from the vagina, it supported the midriff, and pushed up the floor of the lungs, and the poor patient found instant relief; she could breathe freely, could walk easily, her cough ceased, and her sleep was calm. But alas! as soon as parturition takes place, her symptoms all return, and, as no one understands her case, she must die, through ignorance. Young men very often sprain their midriff, by lifting, or in wrestling, and frequently die of consumption, when, by a little care and judicious treatment, they might be saved. In the first place, your lungs hang on your wind-pipe, air vessels, and blood vessels; now, if so, they want a support, and the midriff is this support; but if it is gone, do not be surprised if you decap a blood vessel, and thereby spit blood from that cause; but be not frightened to death by this, as it will, in many cases, relieve you and be beneficial in the end. THE GULLET.
- 23. The gullet is the food pipe; it passes through the chest, from the back part of the mouth, along the back bone; its shape is tolerably regular, until it passes the contents of the chest; then it opens into a spacious apartment, called the stomach; it lies across the body, leaning to the left side; it is more like a bag, than anything I can describe; it is very close to the diaphragm, and one would suppose the diaphragm rested on it. The stomach of an adult, will hold from one to three pints. THE LIVER. This is the largest gland in the human body. It lies on the right side, under the right breast; the gall bladder is attached to the liver, and there is also a communication with the stomach; the gall bladder is the size of your thumb, and is called secretion, or bile; if we have too much, it overflows, and causes jaundice, sick headache, gall- stones, and many other diseases, which cannot be cured, unless you commence by cleansing your blood. As the liver is a gland it can be diseased in various ways; it can be ulcerated, and may contain grubs, or worms. THE ABDOMEN. This contains the intestines, and commences from the stomach; that part the ancients used to call the second stomach, is now termed duodenum; this turns downward and backward, toward the right side, there it turns again to the left, and I may say, zig-zags, until it joins the larger intestines; both ends of the large intestines, are tied to the back bone, to keep them from floating; the lower end passes through the basket of the hips, to the end of the back bone, to keep it in its right place; this forms the back passage, and the end of the back bone is called the rectum. The bowels move; and if so, how often you injure yourself by not obeying the calls of nature to evacuate them; you put it off to some more convenient time; but nature will not be baffled with impunity—you must suffer for your omission the next day, or day after; the head is afflicted, and you go
- 24. to your closet, force and strain to accomplish what you refused nature at the suitable time; as the intestines float, will you not cause debility and disease? Yes, surely you will; then, of course, you have recourse to physic, and this makes you worse, as the intestines become coated. Now for the results; as I said before, the large intestines pass through the basket of the hips; they are straight along the bone, when in a healthy condition, but by this forcing and straining, they become drawn down, in a wrinkled condition, and there is no action; thence arises costiveness, constipation, piles, ulcers, fistulas, and numerous other diseases, which assail these parts, through neglecting the calls of nature. And here I would observe, in regard to your children, be watchful; I have been told by girls from six to twelve years old, how they have been so costive, that they would have to force themselves to such a degree, that every object around them appeared black. O! what poor miserable beings will they be all their lives, through a mother’s neglect. Never let a young child sit too long on a vessel or chair; it weakens the intestines, and brings on general debility. I have known many to die in fits, and to have the relaxation of the fundament, merely by sitting too long on a stool chair. THE KIDNEYS. The kidneys are not in the box of the hips, but above it, in the small of the back, on each side of the back bone. Their office is to separate the salt, earth, and surplus water, from the blood; there is a chamber to each kidney, into which the water is first poured; from each of these chambers, there is a pipe, or tube, that passes downward to the bladder; this tube is called, in physiology, the ureter. The kidneys seem to be a sort of sieve, or filter, with this difference, however: while a sieve permits only the finest and best part to pass through it, the kidneys filter out the worse, or coarser parts; these are carried to the bladder, whence they are conveyed immediately out of the system. In a natural and healthy state, the proper time when the bowels should be evacuated, is indicated by nature; should the water be retained, and the voice of nature
- 25. disobeyed, the effects are these: as in the bowels, it will lessen the action of the bladder and kidneys, and what you retain, does more injury than you can possibly imagine; your kidneys become coated by retention—thence come gravel, stone, stoppage of the urine, and various other diseases of the kidneys and bladder. Never trifle with nature. What pain and suffering might be averted, if all would obey the first call of nature! By retention of the urine, a bad odor arises from the body; what you retain in the bladder, is emitted from the pores in a measure, and your perspiration is very offensive. Mothers ought to instruct their children in regard to this important call of nature. I have found, in my practice, a great number who habituated themselves to retain the water in the bladder all day, that is, from morning to bed time; and what miserable looking objects they were; their countenances were sallow, and the skin dry and withered, although young in years. The kidney may be ulcerated, and contain grubs, as well as the liver, it being likewise a gland, but much smaller than the liver. You can injure the kidneys by food, as all water or liquids go immediately to the kidneys; sweet spices and all acids should be avoided, as they coat the kidneys, and cause the gravel; the ureter, or pipe which takes the water to the bladder, finally gets filled and obstructed, so the water cannot pass thence. BASKET OF THE HIPS. The bony walls of the hips are very strong and solid. The only part that is movable, is the lower end of the back bone, in front; behind the cross bone is the bladder, next comes the womb, and behind this is the back passage. THE WOMB AND ITS APPENDAGES. The womb is pear-shaped—the large end being uppermost, and the small end, or mouth, downward, and connected with the neck of the
- 26. vagina. It hangs on four crotchets, or hooks, which are the upper ligaments to support it; it is also supported by muscles, and from the crown of your head to the ends of your fingers and toes, there are small fibres connected with it. I would say to all, be careful not to stretch or reach the arm higher than its natural limits; a child from seven years old and upwards, to fifteen, may injure these supporters by jumping, and swinging at the length of their arms; so the squaws of the Iroquois tribe assure me, and I have seen a large number of the most distressing cases of this kind. THE OVARIES. The ovaries are on each side of the womb, and are a great support to it; ovaries signify egg vessels, and egg, in physiology, means ovum. The egg is the beginning of our specie, or animal life; thence the germ, or seed. The ovaries are two balls, the size of a small egg, connected with the womb by a pipe, or tube, called the fallopian tube; this tube, or passage, carries the ovum to the womb. When menstruation takes place, the ripening and expulsion of the egg is affected by a real inflammation, similar to what may be seen when you run a nail, or piece of wood, into your flesh, when there will arise an inflammation which will cause it to fester, and then it is easily removed from the flesh; it is this periodical irritation, which causes a sympathetic inflammation; at the beginning of the month, the inflammation is slight, but about the time the egg is expelled from the vesicles, the inflammation reaches its height; in order to give relief, the vessels pour out an abundance of blood, and frequently mucous, according to the healthy condition of the ovaries. The ovaries are placed very low in the groins, advancing into the pelvis. In case of malformation, the menses never appear, and impregnation is impossible; but I have known females to become mothers at the age of fifteen, and they never saw their menses; no doubt, if they had not married, it would have come about in its own time. But here I would remark, it is frequently colorless in weak, scrofulous constitutions, and often these obstructions are in the fallopian tube, and falling of the womb is the principal cause. The
- 27. periodical discharge of the blood, I may say, is often from the uterus, through the vagina, and sometimes from the vagina alone. Menstruation commences between the ages of fourteen and eighteen; I have, however, in my practice, found several cases where they appeared at the age of ten years; but this is not a general rule, and such cases rarely occur. Usually, the earlier the menses appear, the sooner they disappear; but, as a general rule, the menses ought not to depart until at the age of forty-eight or fifty, and I have known them to continue to fifty-five, and those females were perfectly well. As I said before, the mouth of the womb is connected with the vagina, which signifies a tube, or passage. The vagina is a very thick wall, capable of dilating and contracting, to a very great extent; its length is from four, to five, six, and seven inches, and some anatomists have testified that it is, in some rare cases, even eight inches long; it is not strait—its curve is in front, next to the bladder, while the convex part is next to the rectum, or larger bowels. I explain this, as many are led into error, imagining the womb within an inch of the entrance. Now, my friends, I have given you a plain description of your internal organs, and I hope you will overlook its deficiencies; I have given my descriptions as delicately as possible. DISEASE OF THE WOMB. I will endeavor to explain to you the diseases of the womb and ovaries. In the first place, you can injure the womb by miscarriages; but previous to this, perhaps the ligaments of the womb were weak, and the cause of the miscarriage might be attributed to that. No female should stand on the ends of her toes and reach, as it injures the womb; all tight lacing is injurious; by costiveness, you impair the womb; lifting, beyond your strength, should be avoided. Child- bearing, or violent labor in child-birth, retention of the after-birth— all combine to weaken every muscle and ligament of the womb, and
- 28. bring on prolapsus uteri, or falling of the womb. I have known the womb to be caloused, in several cases; and as to its falling, as we say, it may be felt more on the rectum and ovaries, and there will, in these cases, be more pain in the sciatica joints, or hip bone, and it may press more on the lower part of the bowels; this is generally brought on by costiveness; long waists have done their work, as well as heavy petticoats; all these combine to press down the bowels and ligaments of the womb; all fall, or bear heavily on the ureter and fallopian tube, and bring on many distressing diseases, as leucorrhœa, or whites. I will here explain the cause of this running, as many are perfectly ignorant of it; in most cases, it is the weeping of the ovaries; when it is purely white, we call it weakness—as a sore or weak eye weeps, so do the ovaries; and when it changes color, green or yellow, and has a disagreeable smell, no doubt they are diseased—either ulcers in the ovaries, or womb, and the distillation is so acrid, that it causes itching and smarting in the vagina, and the lips of it are swelled. There have been, of late, several cases in my practice, in which the female has communicated the same disease to her husband—similar to the clap. But remember, I have known such cases among the most virtuous, and where there was not the least taint of any venereal disease in the system; I do not say but that their blood might be contaminated with humors; I seldom meet with a person, but has more or less humors to combat with. And how many have been injured by mercury, which poisons the blood. Girls may be troubled with the whites, at from three months to fourteen years of age. The womb can be ulcerated as well as the ovaries, and thence comes dropsy, cancers, and various other diseases; and by this pressing down, in fact, two-thirds die of consumption, because all the parts are pulled down, from the midriff, to the liver, intestines, kidneys, womb, and ovaries—there is no action—all is in a debilitated state. Now what can be done? In the first place, put waists on your petticoats; then obtain a cleansing syrup—you will find a recipe for one in the foregoing pages; then take a piece of leather, that will cover from the breasts to the pelvis, a quarter of a yard wide above, but narrower at the bottom, making a hole in it for the navel; spread it with strengthening plaster, a
- 29. recipe for which will be found in this book; drink the following as a constant beverage: take five roots of sweet fern, a tablespoonful of dry tanzy, and boil in two quarts of water; then strain, and drink a tumbler half full twice during the day. When the top of the womb falls forward, it infringes on the back part, and top of the bladder, and every few minutes you have a desire to evacuate the water; there is a sinking feeling at the stomach, and pain, or distress, in the bladder. Sometimes the womb will protrude in, and on the pelvis, and below, into the front passage; if there is no one near that understands my mode of treatment in this case, do it yourself; I learned it from a squaw, and have replaced ten thousand or more. In the first place, wash it well with cold water, and hold wet cloths to it; then lay on your back, and put it up carefully with your hand, holding or drawing in your breath; then apply a womb plaster. Never allow a male or female practitioner to plug your womb; it only destroys it, and causes ulcers, cancers, and a multitude of other diseases, in the womb. ABORTION. It seems to me, every female of common sense—letting alone christianity, would shudder at the expression of this word, if they really knew its definition, or could realize the extent of the crime. The Boston Scalpel defines the word “abortionism,” to be “the knowledge and practice of expelling from the womb the ovum, or fœtus, ere it is matured.” In this enlightened century, when the gospel is read and preached in every tongue, can it be possible that we find women so barbarous, as to destroy the immortal life which God has given. You may deprive the precious, unborn babe from coming into this beautiful world, but its spirit will return to God, who gave it, and arise in judgment against you. Many females at the present day, exclaim, (and it is a fashionable saying,) “I could have children, if I choosed, but I will not be annoyed with them, and my husband dislikes them.”
- 30. How unlike the blessed Savior! He took children in his arms, and blessed them. What were your intentions, in taking upon you the duties of a wife? Surely, some motive must have prompted your ambition, or you did not take a realizing sense of its duties, as it was expressly commanded by God himself. After He had created Eve, He joined Adam and Eve together, and said, “Go forth and multiply!” He did not say, “gratify your carnal passions, and destroy the effects;” but He said, “replenish the earth.” The fruits of the womb are God’s reward, and He has chosen woman to bring forth at His command. No time in the life of woman, can she feel to lift up her heart and voice, to praise God, with more fervor for his protecting care, and rejoice in His mercy, than after a safe delivery of a living babe. She forgets all her suffering, when she clasps the little innocent to her breast. In ancient times, miscarriage was thought to be a curse on the female, as it endangers her life, by bringing on hemorrhage, from the adhesion of the placenta. There is a difference between miscarriage and abortion: an exclusion of the fœtus six, and sometimes seven weeks after the cessation of the menses, is termed miscarriage; between that and six months, an abortion; and between that and nine months, premature labor. Sometimes the fault lies in some deficiency on the part of the ovum. Abortion may be caused by the inability of the uterus to distend itself, beyond a certain limit; and this may be imputed to dress, nine cases out of ten. Woman was designed by God, as I have said before, to bring forth; she is, by nature, a producer of her race, intended, by God, to feed and nourish, with her own blood, the fœtus, and bring it into the world, an image of God himself, and of man. Abortion is unnatural; and many lose their lives, directly after it, and few gain their strength, as it was previous to it. And all those preventatives, which are in fashion at the present day, to baffle the will of God, are an abomination in His all-seeing eye, and He will repay ten fold.
- 31. Kind and beloved woman! preserve thy purity, virtue, and chastity, and thy days will be many and pleasant upon the earth; and finally, thou shalt become a chosen angel in Heaven, to sing the praises of God and the Lamb! MASTURBATION. Masturbation, or self-pollution, has brought many to an untimely grave. It is held to with tenacity, because of the evenescent, fleeting, and animal pleasure derived therefrom. Mothers, how many of your children could you save, by timely care, while in their infant state! Teach them chastity; not to expose their bodies; not to allow the least exposure to sisters, and never to brothers—it contaminates the mind; never allow boys and girls to sleep together. Children never forget what they hear, as many suppose. How often do we find mothers, who have no respect for their children, frequently using the most obscene language in their presence, and sowing the seeds of impurity. St. Paul says, “Being evil yourselves, give good gifts to them that ask.” Your children depend on every word, look, and action; you can form them as you will—to virtue, or vice. You can rule the nation! Never allow your children to sleep with strangers; however young, they may learn more of impurity in ten minutes, than you could teach them virtue in years. The reason why I speak to you of the necessity of having a watchful eye on your offspring, is that so many young men and women, whom I have been called to visit, in consumption, and some in a deranged state, have confessed to me, that they had contracted an intimacy with a play-mate, who had taught them the act of self-pollution, and, to their sorrow, had practiced the same for years, till they had no control of themselves; this brought involuntary emissions, and thence come leucorrhœa, falling of the womb, and frequently insanity; the greatest number, as a general rule, end in consumption. Doctors are too delicate to mention the cause of this disease, and treat the case, directly
- 32. opposite to what it should be, as all the internal organs are debilitated. I will relate a very distressing case, which I hope will be a warning to mothers and daughters: A daughter of one of the first families of Springfield, Massachusetts, a few years ago, was pronounced by all the physicians of that city, to be in a consumption. I was called on, by a friend of the family, and requested to visit the young lady, at her special request, immediately. I lost no time, but went instantly, and what a pitiful object I beheld! A living skeleton—a fearful picture of self-pollution! I desired all to quit the apartment, and this poor child confessed her weakness; she was willing to die, she said, if she could atone for the trouble and expense she had brought on her parents. Now what was to be done. I well knew her debility was too great to depend on tonics, and to save her, I must gain her confidence and love. I left her, and returned soon after, got her permission to divulge the secret to her mother, and lost no time, in order to save her from death. She must have her genital organ cut out; the operation should take place instantly, as involuntary emissions would soon carry her off, her debility was so great. But thanks be to God, she is still living, in the far west; but never can she enjoy the blessings of married life.
- 34. ROOTS AND HERBS. HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE THEM. OLLECT such as are sound and perfect, and separate from them such as are injured or decayed. Those precautions must be taken which are best fitted for preserving them, and they should, as a general rule, be defended from the effects of moisture, too great heat, or cold, and confined air. Vegetable matters should be collected in the countries where they are indigenous, and those which grow wild in dry soil and high situations, fully exposed to the air and sun, are, in general, to be preferred to those which are cultivated, or which grow in moist, low, shady, or confined places. Roots which are annual, should be collected before they shoot out their stalks, or flowers; biennial roots, in the harvest of the first, or spring of the second year; perennial roots, either in spring, before the sap begins to mount, or in harvest, after it has returned. Those which are worm eaten, except some resinous roots, or which are decayed, are to be rejected; the others are immediately to be cleaned, with a brush and cold water, letting them lie in it as short a time as possible; the fibres and little roots, when not essential, are to be cut away. Roots which consist principally of fibres, and have but a small top, may be immediately dried, if they are juicy, and not aromatic; this may be done by heat, not 100 degrees of Fahrenheit; but, if aromatic, by simply exposing and turning them frequently in a current of dry air; if they are thick and strong, they should be split or cut into slices, and strung upon thread; if covered with a rough bark, they may be peeled fresh, then dried. Such as lose their virtues by
- 35. drying, or are directed to be preserved in a fresh state, are to be kept buried in dry sand. No very general rule can be given for the collection of herbs and leaves—some of them acquiring activity by age, and others, as the mucilaginous leaves, from the same cause, losing the properties for which they are efficient. Aromatics are to be gathered after the flower buds are formed; annuals, not aromatic, when they are about to flower, or when in flower; biennials, before they shoot, and perennials, before they flower, especially if their fibres become woody; they are to be gathered in dry weather, after the dew is off them, or in the evening, before it falls, and are to be freed from decayed, withered, or foreign leaves; they are usually tied in bundles, and hung up in a shady, warm, and airy place, or spread upon the floor, and frequently turned; if very juicy, they are laid upon a sieve, and dried by a gentle degree of artificial warmth, by the stove. Sprouts are collected before the buds open, and stalks are gathered in autumn. Barks and woods are collected when the most active part of the vegetable are concentrated in them, which occurs in spring and in autumn; spring is preferred for resinous barks, and autumn for others, which are not resinous, but rather gummy. Barks should be taken from young trees. Among the resinous woods, the heaviest, which sink in water, are selected; the alburnum is to be rejected. Flowers are collected in dry weather, before noon, but after the dew is off, either when they are just about to open, or immediately after they have opened; of some, the petals only are preserved, and the colorless claws are even cut away; of others, whose calyx is odorous, the whole flower is kept. Flowers which are too small to be pulled singly, are dried with part of the stalk, and are called heads, or tops. Flowers and herbs are to be dried by the gentle heat of a stove, or common fire, in such quantities at a time, that the process may be finished as quickly as possible—for by this means their
- 36. powers are best preserved, the test of which is the perfect preservation of their natural color; when they lose their color and smell, they are unfit for use. Seeds and fruits, unless when otherwise directed, are to be gathered when ripe, but before they fell spontaneously. Some pulpy fruits are freed from their core, and seeds are strung on thread, and dried artificially; they are, in general, best preserved in their natural coverings, although some, as the colacynth, are peeled, and others, as the tamarind, preserved fresh. Many of these are apt to spoil, or become rancid; and as they are then no longer fit for medical use, no very large quantity of them should be collected at a time. The proper drying of vegetable substances, is of the greatest importance. It is often directed to be done in the shade, and slowly, that the volatile and active particles may not be dissipated by too great heat. But this is an error; for they always lose infinitely more by slow than by quick drying. When, on account of the color, they cannot be exposed to the sun, and the warmth of the atmosphere is insufficient, they should be dried by an artificial warmth, less than 100 degrees of Fahrenheit, and well exposed to a current of air. When perfectly dry and friable, they have little smell, but after being kept some time, they attract moisture from the air, and regain their proper odor. The boxes and drawers in which vegetable matters are kept, should not impart to them any smell or taste; and more certainly to avoid this, they should be lined with paper. Such as are volatile, of a delicate texture, or subject to suffer from insects, must be kept in well-covered glasses. Fruits and oily seeds, which are apt to become rancid, must be kept in a cool and dry, and by no means in a warm or moist place. Oily seeds, odorous plants, and those containing volatile principles, should be collected fresh every year; others, whose properties are more permanent and not subject to decay, will keep for several years. Vegetables collected in a moist and rainy season are, in general, more watery, and apt to spoil; in a dry
- 37. season, they contain more oily and resinous particles, and keep much better.
- 39. MISCELLANY. TYPHOID FEVER. HIS disease, which has prevailed extensively at the west, is treated under a variety of names— such as nervous, putrid, gastrionic, brain fever, &c.; while the people of this vicinity, designate it by the name of slow fever, which, in my opinion, is about as descriptive of the disease as any above mentioned. It is most prevalent during the winter and spring. Patients are variously affected during the first stages of the disease. Some are taken with a chill, while others are not conscious of any such sensations, but merely complain of loss of strength and appetite; others complain of pain in their head and back. I have seen some take to their beds, and declare that nothing was the matter with them, and would insist on the correctness of their absurd opinions for several days. The pulse soon becomes small and frequent, the skin hot and dry, while insufferable thirst continually torments the sufferer. Patients frequently manifest a strong propensity to sing, while laboring under it, yet they seldom complain of pain, though delirium be constantly present, and the bowels morbidly sensitive to firm pressure. I have seen patients die without complaining of pain, and yet, on making post mortem examination, satisfactory evidence was furnished that inflammation of the brain, the lungs, and the mucuous membrane of the bowels, were present. These inflammations, therefore, constitute some of the complications of this disease, while a lack of sensibility, points to an obtunded condition of the nervous system. Ordinarily, for four or five days, the disease does not assume an aggravated appearance, during which time the fever has a remitting form; but shortly after
- 40. this, if the patient is not relieved, the fever becomes continued; and now begin to rise gradually all the worst symptoms of typhoid fever; the tongue, which at first was white, or of a yellowish brown color, now becomes black, dry in the centre, and cracked; the patient soon falls into a deep coma, and delirium is almost constantly present. Twitching of the muscles of the face, subsultus-tendinum, and floccillation, are symptoms which generally attend this disease. BATHING. Somebody has said, that God gives shower baths to every thing that will stay out doors. A very significant hint, this, to human bipeds; it seems very strange that we are such dull scholars, in this world. We see the fevered earth parch, and burn, and fail of its fruits, till the refreshing rain comes down and cures it; and we never once think, when our blood boils, our flesh burns, and our skin parches with fever, that the same blessed medicine that is poured out on the earth, will heal us; or, if men get a little theoretical faith of this kind, they lose it as soon as they become sick. Early superstition, of all kinds, generally come upon men with peculiar force, when they are weakened and confused by illness. There is no more invigorating process for preserving health, after the inhaling of pure air, than the daily use of the cold bath. The bath is not useful alone because it removes impurities from the skin; but the fresh, sparkling water, has an absolute life in it, which we receive. And this is the reason why the bath is so much more useful, when the water is just drawn from the fountain, than when it is suffered to stand, and lose its living, or electrical properties. The best time to take a bath is in the morning, when we rise. No one should take a cold bath, as if he were lazily doing an unpleasant duty; and no one can do it long. Beginners with the bath, should observe the following directions: Bathe the head and face first; bathe the rest of the body thoroughly and quickly; then use much
- 41. friction—first with a towel, and then with the hand, or a soft brush; this should be continued until the subject is in a glow. Some people think there are so many difficulties in the way of bathing, that they cannot overcome them, and they believe they must, perforce, be like the dirty representative to an eastern legislature, who boasted that he had not bathed for fifteen years! Let us look at these difficulties, and we shall find that “where there is a will there is a way.” Anybody, that is anybody, can surely get a bowl of water, and a sponge, or towel; with these, he can take a thorough washing, and, if he has any energy, he can rub the body in a glow with a brush, a hand towel, or the hand. There is no preventive of colds equal to this simple process, repeated every morning. It makes a man feel clean, bright, and respectable. The use of warm baths, except in particular cases of illness, is mischievous; they weaken the skin, and expose the person who takes them, to attacks of colds and influenza. Still, the occasional use of warm baths for cleaning the skin, is better than to allow the skin to be dirty. Shower baths are useful in cases where there is high health, or general inflammation; where there is full reactive power they are safe, and not otherwise; where they induce a chill, they are very hurtful. The indiscriminate recommendation of the shower bath, is always an evidence of very partial knowledge. The sponge bath is probably more universally beneficial, and is safer than any other bath. HERB TEA. Mr. N. had been married but a few weeks, and his bride was a lovely and accomplished lady. Her health was perfect; she had never known, by personal experience, what sickness is, and they were looking forward to the future with the most sanguine expectations of happiness. But disappointment is written upon all earthly hopes, and Mr. N. was not to be an exception from the general rule. His wife was suddenly taken with cholera. The family physician was called in,
- 42. and did what he could to arrest the disease. But she continued to grow worse, and a council of doctors was called, to consult measures for her relief. Mrs. N. had requested that a friend of hers, who had long been employed in nursing and doctoring those who had confidence in her —a lady of great talent and education in the art of curing with roots and herbs—to call in and see her. As this lady approached the house, and saw the carriages of the physicians, she became alarmed for the safety of her friend; but when she entered the house, the silence and sadness that reigned in that once happy mansion, sent a chill to her heart. Soon the doctors came out, one by one, and silently left the house. Mr. N. did not inquire their opinion of the condition of his wife—he could read it in their looks. After all had gone but the attending physician, Mr. N. and the nurse, Mrs. T., entered the room, where the patient lay, apparently in the last stage of the disease. The doctor rose from his seat beside the bed; as Mr. N. advanced and inquired, “Is there no hope?” he could hardly command his voice to tell that afflicted man, that his wife must die; and his gushing tears spoke his sympathy with the sufferer. Mrs. T. looked for a moment upon the unconscious form of her friend, then, turning to the doctor, said, “Tell me, my dear sir, can you do nothing more for this woman?” He shook his head, and then turned away. “Then you are willing,” she continued, “I should do what I can to make her more comfortable while she lives?” “Certainly,” said Mr. N. “Certainly,” repeated the doctor. “If you can do anything for her comfort, do it, for she cannot stay with us long.” As he said this, he left the house, and Mrs. T. applied herself to her task. She directed the friends to get some hot water, bricks, &c., while she sent a boy for some herbs; she wrote a note, and
- 43. requested him to carry it to the man with whom she had been living. He soon returned with the articles. What she gave the patient to drink, we do not know; but we soon saw its effects. The cold sweat was wiped from her limbs—bottles of hot water were placed around her—a plaster was applied to her stomach, and, in a short time, she sank into a sweet sleep, which continued an hour or two, when she awoke, and began to vomit. The friends were now much alarmed, and thought she must certainly die. But the joyful expression of Mrs. T.’s countenance, told them that she, at least, had no fears of a fatal result. Through the day and night, the nurse continued her exertions for her friend; and the next morning, when the kind and sympathizing doctor came in to look at the corpse, he was very much surprised to find his patient sitting up in bed, eating a bowl of porridge! Turning to the nurse, he asked, “What did you give this woman?” “Herb tea, sir!” she answered, in a tone of voice which forbade further questioning. Mrs. N. still lives, and, when her children are sick, she gives them herb tea!
- 45. PREJUDICE. S far as I can ascertain, the present season (1857-8,) has been a remarkable healthy one, in this portion of the west. But scientifically, every few days, some poor sufferer is consigned to the grave—but not until nature has disputed, most resolutely, every inch of ground, and at last has been compelled to yield to King Calomel! It is only a few days since, a child of ten or twelve years old was laid away, with a part of the lower portion of its face already fallen off, and appearances indicating that a large part of the rest would soon have followed, had not death terminated its sufferings in mercy, and spared its friends the anguish of beholding the farther devastations of this most potent “remedy.” In such instances, the outraged feelings of surviving friends, are usually quieted with the assurance that “it is the Lord’s will;” and so these works of iniquity are saddled upon the Supreme Arbiter of events, and He is made the scape-goat of one of the most wicked systems that ever cursed the world. I am sometimes perfectly confounded by the blind bigotry which possesses the minds of those men, whose business it is to administer to the wants of suffering humanity. It does seem as though they thought more of conforming to the opinions of certain authors, and following the prescribed rules of a Medical Association, than they do of the lives of their patients. In their opposition, especially to reform in medical practice, some of them hesitate not to endanger the life of a fellow-being, if, by so doing, they can bring obloquy upon that system to which they are opposed. These are hard sayings; but I am compelled to believe them, for it is but a short time since one of the poison-dealers tried to persuade a
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