Willie's Bout With Pneumonia

Ellen and James had learned something of the value of water in the treatment of disease in their encounter with diphtheria when the plague struck Edson and Willie; they also had learned the futility of drug medication when they lost Henry to pneumonia. Then, two months later, during the second week of February 1864, when Willie was stricken with pneumonia, they were confronted with a dilemma that could mean life or death to one of their two remaining children. Ellen White reported their daring decision:WV 115.4

We decided that we would not send for a physician, but do the best we could with him ourselves by the use of water, and entreat the Lord in behalf of the child. We called in a few who had faith to unite their prayers with ours. We had a sweet assurance of God's presence and blessing (Spiritual Gifts, 4a:151).WV 115.5

Nor was there any delay in making a beginning:WV 116.1

The next day Willie was very sick. He was wandering. He did not seem to see or hear me when I spoke to him. His heart had no regular beat, but was in a constant agitated flutter. We continued to look to God in his behalf, and to use water freely upon his head, and a compress constantly upon his lungs, and soon he seemed rational as ever. He suffered severe pain in his right side, and could not lie upon it for a moment. This pain we subdued with cold water compresses, varying the temperature of the water according to the degree of the fever. We were very careful to keep his hands and feet warm (Ibid., 4a:151, 152).WV 116.2

The anxious parents watched over him day and night until they were both nearly worn out. It was very clear that the application of hydrotherapy in such a case called for tireless effort. But it produced good results. Ellen White wrote later:WV 116.3

We expected the crisis would come the seventh day. We had but little rest during his sickness, and were obliged to give him up into others’ care the fourth and fifth nights. My husband and myself the fifth day felt very anxious. The child raised fresh blood, and coughed considerably. My husband spent much time in prayer.WV 116.4

We left our child in careful hands that night. Before retiring, my husband prayed long and earnestly. Suddenly his burden of prayer left him, and it seemed as though a voice spoke to him and said, “Go lie down; I will take care of the child.”WV 116.5

I had retired sick, and could not sleep for anxiety for several hours. I felt pressed for breath. Although sleeping in a large chamber, I arose and opened the door into a large hall, and was at once relieved, and soon slept.WV 116.6

I dreamed that an experienced physician was standing by my child, watching every breath, with one hand over his heart, and with the other feeling his pulse. He turned to us and said, “The crisis has passed. He has seen his worst night. He will now come up speedily, for he has not the injurious influence of drugs to recover from. Nature has nobly done her work to rid the system of impurities.”WV 116.7

I related to him my worn-out condition, my pressure for breath, and the relief obtained by opening the door. Said he, “That which gave you relief will also relieve your child. He needs air. You have kept him too warm. The heated air coming from a stove is injurious, and were it not for the air coming in at the crevices of the windows, would be poisonous, and destroy life. Stove heat destroys the vitality of the air, and weakens the lungs. The child's lungs have been weakened by the room being kept too warm. Sick persons are debilitated by disease and need all the invigorating air that they can bear to strengthen the vital organs to resist disease. And yet in most cases air and light are excluded from the sickroom at the very time when most needed, as though dangerous enemies” (Ibid., 4a:152, 153).WV 116.8

What consolation this dream, and the assurance that came to her husband a few hours before, brought to them! She reported:WV 117.1

We found in the morning that our boy had passed a restless night. He seemed to be in a high fever until noon. Then the fever left him, and he appeared quite well, except weak.WV 117.2

He had eaten but one small cracker through his five days’ sickness. He came up rapidly, and has had better health than he has had for several years before (Ibid., 4a:153).WV 117.3

She added the significant words “This experience is valuable to us.” What contrasting, thought-provoking object lessons James and Ellen White had experienced in just 11 weeks! Now, more than ever, they knew that they must dig deep, learn how to combat disease, and discover sound dietetic principles. In this experience they had learned the importance of clean, fresh air in the treatment of sickness.WV 117.4

To learn ways to prevent disease was just as important in the care of the body as treatment during illness.WV 117.5