Mr. L. F. Rader of Olalla, Wash., died at 12.15 P. M., May 11, 1910, at
123½ Broadway North, in the forty-seventh year of his age. Mr. Rader's
physical history is one of intermittent suffering. As the result of an
accident in childhood in which he was internally injured, his youth
and early manhood were filled with a succession of most acute attacks
of painful illness. About fifteen years ago he deserted the orthodox
means of treatment and turned to what is now known as the natural or
drugless method, with the consequence that he experienced the first
relief he had ever known. Three years ago he lay ill for three months,
and after again submitting to medical treatment he turned to the fast
and to me. In fourteen days he was up and about, and in a month he was
able to attend to his ordinary business. Since then he had no return
of acute symptoms until March 31 of this year, when, after unwonted
physical exercise and a heavy meal, he was seized with severe pains in
the intestines, which compelled him to take to his bed. His stomach
rejected food, and within a week the taking of water brought nausea. I
was then called to diagnose the case and to direct treatment. I made
the statement at that time to Mrs. Rader that there seemed but little
chance for his recovery, but tried the administration of fruit juices
and light broths.
The point was soon reached, however, when Mr. Rader refused any
sustenance, since it resulted only in nausea and excruciating pain.
In the meanwhile the patient came to Seattle, and went to the Hotel
Outlook with every symptom showing the relief that is the logical
sequence of removing food temporarily from a system struggling to
right abnormal conditions. Things progressed smoothly until meddlesome
outsiders interfered and caused the city health officials to take
cognizance of the fact that a man was "starving" in the hotel. Without
warrant Mr. Rader's rooms were entered, and he was confronted by
Drs. Bourns and Davidson, who endeavored to persuade him to return
to orthodoxy and to the care of the orthodox physicians. Mr. Rader's
indignant repudiation is of record, as is also the result of the
attempt to declare him insane.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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