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Cause of BY's death?


Mike Reed

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Posted

I stumbled upon this quote today:

Brigham Young Office Journals--Exceprts, 1853-62

Bro[ther] Howard Egan called upon me in relation to Bro[ther] H. S. Sherman discontinuing his services on the western line with him. I told him Bro[ther] Shermans state of health required him to discontinue traveling that he might bestow more attention upon himself and use remedies to entirely cure himself of the piles and tumor he was afflicted with. Howard then left. I told Bro[ther] S. & S. Sherman yesterday that I had been obliged to use a
syringe
since my sickness in Nauvoo, and now I could not live months without using it; I believe the the [sic] frequent use of it has considerably benefitted my health as I am much better now than I have been for years. I enjoy my food much better that [sic] I used years ago. The use of the syringe strengthens my bowels I am persuaded that in nine cases out of ten the bowels become deranged before the stomach does, and the bowels being deranged soon affect the stomach.
I charge the syringe frequently with composition sometimes I
mix consecrated oil with it
. I have sent for some good olive oil if it can be procured; for the oil the merchants import here is so unpleasant I cannot take it.

Olive oil injections! That can't be healthy.

I've spent only a few minutes, trying to find the health risks of injecting yourself with olive oil, and found this article:

http://chestjournal.chestpubs.org/content/107/3/875.full.pdf

Any doctors on this forum who can comment on this possibility I am speculating about... that Brigham may have died from the olive oil injections he gave himself? Thanks.

Posted

I can't imagine that being a particularly healthy practice...but, I find it far more likely that he died because he was 76 years old and that's pretty old for the 19th century.

Posted

Olive oil injections! That can't be healthy.

It was probably an "enema syringe" and commonly used in the 18th ans 19th centuries to administer treatments into the rectum.

Posted

I stumbled upon this quote today:

Brigham Young Office Journals--Exceprts, 1853-62

Bro[ther] Howard Egan called upon me in relation to Bro[ther] H. S. Sherman discontinuing his services on the western line with him. I told him Bro[ther] Shermans state of health required him to discontinue traveling that he might bestow more attention upon himself and use remedies to entirely cure himself of the piles and tumor he was afflicted with. Howard then left. I told Bro[ther] S. & S. Sherman yesterday that I had been obliged to use a
syringe
since my sickness in Nauvoo, and now I could not live months without using it; I believe the the [sic] frequent use of it has considerably benefitted my health as I am much better now than I have been for years. I enjoy my food much better that [sic] I used years ago. The use of the syringe strengthens my bowels I am persuaded that in nine cases out of ten the bowels become deranged before the stomach does, and the bowels being deranged soon affect the stomach.
I charge the syringe frequently with composition sometimes I
mix consecrated oil with it
. I have sent for some good olive oil if it can be procured; for the oil the merchants import here is so unpleasant I cannot take it.

Olive oil injections! That can't be healthy.

I've spent only a few minutes, trying to find the health risks of injecting yourself with olive oil, and found this article:

http://chestjournal.chestpubs.org/content/107/3/875.full.pdf

Any doctors on this forum who can comment on this possibility I am speculating about... that Brigham may have died from the olive oil injections he gave himself? Thanks.

Mike,

This may sound weird, but it's possible that his "injection" was in the form of an enema. Syringe can be used as the name of an **** applicator. This does make a little more sense, as different oils were used as remedies for constipation.

Posted

I was under the impression that olive oil enemas were still fairly common. :P

Are you admitting something?

Posted

I can't imagine that being a particularly healthy practice...but, I find it far more likely that he died because he was 76 years old and that's pretty old for the 19th century.

You may be right. But wouldn't it be interesting if the symptoms BY showed at his death fit this possibility? I've read theories of foul play--that he was poisoned by arsnic. And others who say that his appendix ruptured. Both theories assume that he didn't just die of old age. After reading this quote, I can't help but wonder, "What if he accidently killed himself?"

Posted

After reading this thread, I need to wash my eyes with olive oil.

Posted

Mike,

This may sound weird, but it's possible that his "injection" was in the form of an enema. Syringe can be used as the name of an **** applicator. This does make a little more sense, as different oils were used as remedies for constipation.

Ahhh... good call. Unlike structurecop, I don't have experience with receiving enemas. But that would make sense.

Posted

Colon cleansing was the popular belief to good health at the time. I really don't want to picture the sight of BY getting an enema. Now we know the real truth why olive oil is not to be consumed internally after consecration. I can't wait to share this tidbit with my Bishopric.

Posted

It was probably an "enema syringe" and commonly used in the 18th ans 19th centuries to administer treatments into the rectum.

Thanks CV75.

Posted

After reading this thread, I need to wash my eyes with olive oil.

Colon cleansing was the popular belief to good health at the time. I really don't want to picture the sight of BY getting an enema. Now we know the real truth why olive oil is not to be consumed internally after consecration. I can't wait to share this tidbit with my Bishopric.

:P;):crazy:
Posted

Agreed. Magic? :P

We're not allowed to use that word. Religion. With magical effects. Err, magical mechanisms. Wait, religious mechanisms, which most modern believers probably don't think are inherently present, as BY apparently believed.

Posted

Mike,

I got to say even though we get into some barking battles, you have got some of the more interesting threads on the board. I don't know how you came across this but I am sure it's a good story.

Posted

All joking aside, it's interesting that he specifies some consecrated oil...

If you are going to get a "full" cleanings, you might as well use the best stuff...and I can't set the joking aside on this one.

Posted

If you are going to get a "full" cleanings, you might as well use the best stuff...and I can't set the joking aside on this one.

So can you tell us why consecrated oil would be considered the best? I mean, what properties of consecrated oil are more conducive to, you know... cleansing.

Posted

What Mike is failing to mention is that the practice of using consecrated oil for this procedure began after this particular incident:

Pioneer Camp, Wednesday, May 26, 1847

To Marshall O.P. Rockwell:

Sir -- You are hereby commanded to bring, wherever found, the body of Col. George Mills, before the Right Reverend Bishop [Edson] Whipple, at his Quarters, there to answer to the following charge, viz.: -- That of emitting in meeting on Sunday last, a sound, a posteriori, (from his seat of honor) somewhat resembling the rumble of distant thunder, or the heavy discharge of artillery, thereby endangering the steadiness of the olfactory nerves of those present as well as diverting their minds from the discourse of the speaker.

Letter to O.P. Rockwell for a mock trial while the Saints were traveling West (around the time they reached Chimney Rock). As cited in Schindler's biography of OPR, Second Edition, pg. 157. Original in possession of the LDS Church Historical Department.

Posted

What Mike is failing to mention is that the practice of using consecrated oil for this procedure began after this particular incident:

Letter to O. Rockwell for a mock trial while the Saints were traveling West (around the time they reached Chimney Rock). As cited in Schindler?s biography of OPR, Second Edition, pg. 157. Original in possession of the LDS Church Historical Department.

Like the farmers medical terms:

rectum = darn near killed him.

{teary eyed and trying to breath} Whew! I haven't laughed this hard in a long time.

My stomache hurts.

Posted

What Mike is failing to mention is that the practice of using consecrated oil for this procedure began after this particular incident:

Letter to O. Rockwell for a mock trial while the Saints were traveling West (around the time they reached Chimney Rock). As cited in Schindler?s biography of OPR, Second Edition, pg. 157. Original in possession of the LDS Church Historical Department.

:P That was PHENOMENAL!

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