A collection of affidavits and certificates, relative to the wonderful cure of Mrs. Ann Mattingly : which took place in the city of Washington, D.C. on the tenth of March, 1824.

  • William Matthews
Date:
1824
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A collection of affidavits and certificates, relative to the wonderful cure of Mrs. Ann Mattingly : which took place in the city of Washington, D.C. on the tenth of March, 1824. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Sworn to, before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace for the county of Washington in the District of Columbia, on the day above written, CHARLES II. W. WHARTON. [Seau] Justice of the Peace. ISo. 8. MR. JAMES CARBERY. My sister, Mrs. Ann Mattingly, was afflicted with a disease for about six years. 1 did not live with ?drs. Mattingly, but SAW her frequently, during the whole time of her sickness. For sometime previous to her confinement to the bed, she com- plained of a severe pain, proceeding from a hard lump, on the ' leftside; which through the whole course of her sickness con- tinued to be the seat of the disease, and from which the sto- mach M as severely afflicted. Of tlie precise chaiacter of the disease, my want of kroM'ledge, in tins respect, will not au- thorize an opinion; it was, certainly, not a common one. Its effects were distressing beyond uescription. The violence of the disease was intermittent. The spells were ahvays attended by an excruciating pain in the left side and stomach, vomiting of blood, in large qnantities, high fevers, OSS of appetite, and occasionally cramps. During the exis- ence of these spells, fainting from weakness and excessive pain, was not unfrequent. Their duration, as well as 1 can recollect, was from three to months, and the whole time dissolution was daily expected. The transition from this state which was of extreme suffering, to such intervals of compara- tive ease, as to admit of her sitting up, w dking about the room, and performing light work, such as sewing and knitting, was slow and tardy, but to niy knowledge, she uas never free from pain and spitting of blood. 1 ahvays believed, from the com- mencement that the disease was mortal. This is but an im- perfect outline of the sufieriags which Mrs. Mattingly endur- ed for six years. It is impossible to delineate all the incidents of her unhappy situation; whatever shape her sufferings assum- ed, or to whatever degree they were felt, she bore them witii a patient resignation to the wdll of Him who afflicted her. In the early part of last fall, the disease began gradually to approximate its M'orst state; and in addition to its other accom- paniments, before mentioned, was now attended by an almost incessant and distressing cough. It was my impression that it had reached its crisis, abrut the beginning of February. From this period to her restoration, she was in a slate of suftering, to convey a correct idea, of which, language is inadequate. It certainly was, incomparably greater tl an I had supposed the naere physical pow ers of our nature could sustain. The pai»
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