Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-06-01
Ghoite Mistellang.
MY FIRST PATIENT.

Q1nRY mouse III VI ultRN SlEcONs nv hS'Sh
borhood is fashionable, being in the imme-
diate vicinity ofa news, and having strong
oder of straw and stabling about it. My
copsulting-room is SO called luc,B non H.
ceno7o, because no one has yet thought iit to
consult me in it--that.is, no eneto speak OF,
because an elderly female did once plunge
into my apartment with her little boy, who
had over eaten himself, alleging that the un'
happy cup ''had overbalanced his heart,
poor dear. q diagnosis which did not seem
familiar, and for a time perplexed me.
L am surgeon, and have been two years
qualified practitioner. But as yet save
the elderly lady referred to. have had no
patient Yet my door-lamp is brightest,
and burns the bluest ef any in the neigh.
borhood My brass-plate is the largest and
! the brsssest. have been called out OF
church on an average four times every Sun
day; the policeman regularly hammers at
my door, in manner to disturb the whole
street, in the smaller hours of the night;
paragraphs in the Piccadilly pepper, the
local organ of the district, have regularly
set forth the imaginary accidents that have
attended with my usual 'promptitude and
kindness Of heart" but it has been all to
no purpose. am ready to bleed Tor my
country, but my country will not be oled.-
| My practice in anatomy Is still conhned 10
the dissection Of my daily mutton chop; and
in despair had given pills to all my SER
wants, including my boy in buttons, till they
struck for board wages, with an increase
contingent on the consumption Of draughts
and powders; and l had serious thoughts OF
taking some of my own medicine myself
My last card failed. A case of medals and
prize cup, with an inscription, "For Pro.
ficiency in Pathology" placed within full
view of the open window eply tempted
thieves and not patients; and policeman
called to suggest that was not to be 50 Law
ish of my plate. Poor fellow, he little knew
all were dummies. | had written para
graphs In the Lancet on "Hydrocaphalus'
and "Asphyxia," and had even thoughts OF
writing boek and was one evening sitting
selitarily in my room, musing on the sub
lunary thing, especially of aloes and other
drastics, when rap came at the door. "A
dun, by Jovei-a tax collector, the Propo-
mite which never ebbs, thought, ! lis.
tened; lady's veice The rascal Jack had
opened the 'front.' door at once, as it he
knew it was dun, and a moment after ap.-
peared grinning: "A patient, Sir "A
what T. | said, half beside myself. "A
lady, siri-silk dress ~
| thrust the novel had been reading
| Inc lDTtt CpbsthS -ub0Ois WV Po'"i
Strengthened my hair, opened my lancet
case, and after waiting the customary pro-
fessional time which tradition has establish
cd-to convice the patient of the pressure
of ones engagements-my first patient was
ushered in. She was closely vailed, petite
rather than tall, young, graceful lady'likeT,, :,
I was prepared to take an affidavit on all
these points before the President of the
College Of Surgeons, ifneed had been-snd
I saw at once, to my sorrow, that, In the
exigencies of my profession, powder or
; saline mixture. a pill night and morning,
with draught at bedtime, was the utmost
[ could hope -.
When seated, voice sweet and melodi'
ous-I have Shakspeare's notion about mu
steal voice-said "You will perhaps be sur
prised at my calling on you alone p
was indeed; but gracefully conveying
, that a multitude of beautiful patients II
waiting was the normal routine of my daily
/, experience, the fair patient continued:
II have called on you on matter OF the
y mos. imminent Importance. l have tht
happiness and good fortune to be marriec
to one Of the best husbands in the werld.
He is seriously I'LL fear dangerously; thu
medical man we have, engaged is unremlt
ting in his attentions, but he seems as mucl
as ourselves in the dark as to the nature o
the complaint, and, indeed, SO far over
whelmed with the character and severity o
. the malady az to be unable to cope with 1t
7 have consulted my own fears rather thai
his wishes, and have come to you, thinking
additional advice would be an advantage. -
o am stranger in London--a stranger
: without any friends save my husband tam
ily: and | had the grievous misfortune t
be married without the consent OF his rela
tives, who are bitterly arrayed against me
and am sure from no fault or occasion Q
b mine." This was said with an air Of tn
!, most tender and pathetic simplicity; and a
If TO convince mo of the fact-she had bee
> hitherto sitting closely veiled-sho, wit
. the most natural and graceful actisn in tn
}. world, lifted her veil. -,
am not superstitious, nor Imaginative!
= but was startled. had, az have alread
said, been reading THE Three Spasms,
and here was the heroine of the book. hel
ss was lady, quite as beautiful, quite,
e, petite, quite as young, with the same ide
tical "feathery" faxen curls,. the san
melting blue eyes, the same tiny moutl
- the same quiet and subdued manner az
sweet voice. | inveluntaIily drew bac
here was clearly criminal, a prisoner,
/ hipamist-all great criminals are pretty
modern novels. | felt agitated and n
|! fears were not calmcd, when in the mo
natural tone in the world, she suggests
that should accompany her in her carrlae
which was waiting to her house.
| ventured to ask the symptoms OF
future patient. The lady explained tong
n,) parched, eyes red, partial paralysis OF t
ce cxtremites, excessive nervous irrltabillty
,or / saw at a glance chronic arseDical po
RID onins of the worst kind | suggested. It
ice irritabiity accompanied ny prostraton, wi
Impaired respiration" And, as | expects
the answers we're affrative. saw at or
- poisoning by ar snic ], said | to myse
am called in to lull suspicious when it is
!. late. Yes, it is too true. Here is anotl
-" beautiful DEVON here is the same peri
form, the same grace, the same tender
n seate color, the same shower of radi
Y curls. She is very beautiful; and by all
y. experience set forth in that mirror Of l
the modern novel, she is about to boco
= guilty Of murder or arson at least.
dSi The carriage stopped at a handsome no
in handsome square in the suburbs
found the patient asleep. My worst SUI
cions were realized--fsver, exfoliation
- the cutiele of the tongue, the membrane
e the eyes red made my resolve at ono
| will expose the Vaccinations OF this