Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In January of 1918, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “About the middle of the month I had a frightful attack of lumbago which confined me to bed for several days. As business was very bad, I didn’t worry about having to remain at home so long.”
At the age of 62, Moses was suffering from extreme back pain. There was little that could be done at the time, other than trying some advertised remedy and wait it out. Lumbago can be caused from several factors, especially the overuse of the lower back and the sudden lifting of a heavy load. It can also be the result of excessive bending or other repetitive motions involving the lower back. Scenic artists were, and in many cases are, subject to constant harmful activities, needing to move heavy materials and completing repetitive movements.
There were many advertisements for Lumbago treatments in 1918, repeatedly published in Illinois newspapers. Testimonials were included, elaborating on the quick success of one topical ointment over another. One that really caught my attention was Turpo, a combination of turpentine, Menthol and camphor; a treatment suggested by painters.
We all look for a quick fix, something that gets us back on our feet and back at work. Going back too soon and not waiting for an injury to heal, however, will leave a mark. A hasty return may take its toll down the road; it has with me.
1918 marks the beginning of continued health problems for Moses. Later that fall, he wrote, “October 10th, I was knocked down by a boy on a bicycle in Oak Park. It was dark and I did not see the wheel. It was thought by the doctor that I had fractured my skull. It was a couple of months before I recovered. Only a few days after this I was forced to go to Cleveland to look after a big Masonic order and I hope we will be able to get the contract.”
He did not have the opportunity to properly heal.
There are those accidents later in life that some never really recover from, life changing instances. Broken hips, sprained wrists, or fractured skulls are just a few injuries that morph into later problems and daily aches. As one ages, it is harder to recover, it takes longer to recover from simple injuries and routine procedures. What we garner in experience we lose in other ways. It sucks, and I’m only 50 yrs. old.
Many artists are at the peak of their career by 60, only to realize that their eyesight is failing, or arthritis is affecting their hands and wrists. This is no different from any other profession, and the statement “cruel twist of fate” often comes to mind. For Moses, he had reached so many milestones and was starting to fail. Keep in mind that the average life expectancy for men at this time was 47 years old, so Moses, being 62 was remarkable, especially when considering the “hard labor” aspect of his profession. I think of many scenic artists who passed away at the end of the 19th century, well before they reached their 35th birthday; the loss of talent in the theatre industry is staggering. But as many at the time, he planned to work until the day he died.
To be continued…
