Litchfield enquirer., 1845-10-09
.ANEcDoTE OF REUBEN NATHANs.

We derive the annexed communication from a correspondent :-' There are probably many peo- pie now living, who remember the celebrated Jew quack.doctor, Reuben Nathans, who lived some forty years since, and whose medicines, the Chi nese Balsam ot Life, and the Celebrated Hair lnvlgorating Lotion,' made so much noise at that time. But few, presume, have heard of the an- ecdofe am about to relate concerning him. When the Doctors medicines were first announced to the world simple minded laboring man purchas- ed one bottle of the Lotion and another of the Bal sam, for his wife. who had consamptiVe cough of many years standing, and was besides threatened with the total loss of her hair. The woman used both remedies according to directions, and as usu al with ignorant people in such cases. thought they were really doing her a vast deal of good. The congh seemed to her 10 be going away rapidly i; she breaihed freer,' while her hair appeared to be coming back again thicker than ever. As a natural consequence, she felt very great confidence in the medicines; and when the first lot of Balsam was all used, she sent her husband to get the bot tle filled again. The doctor asked the man how the medicine operated! "'
 ooh. grandly!" replied the husband; "my wife's coughs cen almost gone, and her hair all coming back again, as fiery as ever"
 Ah." said the doctor, S that's the way my medicines always work There's no mistake about Mens. There's no mistake about Mcm. They're just what call them. 'the greatest wonders of the age.' 'sposc you've no objection to give me your athdavlt !' f...
 ooh, no," replied the man that's just what my wife wants me to do." ,..
 The couple then repaired 70 the mayors office, where an affidavit was drawn up, sworn to. and witnessed On returning 10 the doctors shop, the quack took up the empty bottle, for the purpose of re6lling it. Uncorking it, he put it 10 his nose, and Smelt of it.
 why. what can this mean ''' he exclaimed, Tn some astonishment; and then, after look ing at the label, he smet of it again. Why. sir this isn't balsam, though the label says SO, but the hair lotion ?"
 {" Hair lotion or not" teplied the man, pointing to the bottle," that's what cured my wife's dread full cough, and the stuin the other bottle at home, Is what made her hair grow again !'
 Strange! strange repeated the doctor. with puzzled countenance "I don't know what to make of it. Will you be kind enough. sir. just to step back, and get me the other bottle-the hair lotion, l mean }" ." The man did so, and soon returned with the To-. ton bottle. The doctor took it, and applied his nose to the mouth " ae- '.
 1" And this, " said he, sis just as surely the ba- sam, as the other is the lotion Don't you think there was some mistake on your part, sir: Are you sure, that what was in this bottle, made your wife's hair grow again }"
 " Just as sartain as I'm alive," replied the man " for always turned it out myself, while Betsey held the spoon." ' '."
 The doctor sat down in chair, and, laying fn- ger on his nose, seemed buried in profound thought.
 An see! :" he at length exclaimed, and jumping up. he filled the empty bottle again " There, sir," said he, giving it 10 the man, and hurrying him to the door; ai's right. sir; was a little bothered, that's all. Call again when that's gone, and you shall have another for nothing"
 As soon as he had shut the door on his customer, the doctor called in his confidential man from the labaratory.' Hi8@ l'.
 :" Moshes." said he, "wc've made great mis- take in our guess work, after all. I've been study ing yer hard lately. and have just discovered that our iofiOn is the stuff to cure the coughs and inc consumptions, and the balsam is the best 10 make the hair grow! We must change the labels.''
 |" That's unlucky," replied the man, |" for we've got four thousand bottles. two thousand of each kind, all ready to send away tomorrow"
 "Vei. vel" said the doctor, "you can change the labels if you have times if not, send them oil as they are. 'Tisn't mush matier :" ..,,-.
 .ta,7II1o CIE 8G kniSkerb0cker Gossip. T .. J. s- tH 1.