Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-03-18

her rich dark eye, and a classic beauty il
her handsome features, which at sight great.
ly interested ME; and | said to myself,
will earnestly try to save this poor creature
from premature death.
.sAnd as I sat down beside her, really
nv heart beat audibly. I confess it. !
took her small delicately rounded wrist in
my hand. and consulted her pulse with more
than ordinary interest, and some trepidation
as she looked languidly but pleasantly in
my face and said, Doctor do you think you
can aid me?"
ssWe were alone. She pronounced this
question as if she would intimate in the ex.
preston that my predecessors had tried and
failed. And while she thus smiled, l OBJ
served that she exhibited two rows of pearly
teeth, that were by no means the least at
t~ractive feature in her beautiful and intelli-
gent face. l found the young lady's pulse
was ftful and feverish. and I questioned her
as to her symptoms. She informed me that
her trouble, whatever it was, seemed to be
a nervous affection. She frequently exper-
fenced spasmodic and acute pains in the face
and head, and would faint and fall like an
epileptic. Then extreme dullncss would
succeed, physically and mentally; she was
really discouraged she said.
"With my practice as a physician, l had
long before united that of a dentist and l
knew we'll how sensitive and delicate were
the nervous combinations of the face, and
especially those of the teeth. l asked the
patient many questions, and finally interro-
gated her closely as to the apparent neural
gle affections she had so frequently expert
enced in her head and jaw. She had no
reason to complain of her teeth she said
they were perfectly sound.
Il examined them, however, with pro-
fessional care. Finally, taking from my
pocket a small operating dental instrument,
/ scanned each tooth, and raped it slightly
as I passed along. AS I did this, the youth
full sonora did not finch until I struch the
molar beyond one Of the eye-teeth, when, to
nv CONSERVATION and surprise, she sudden
sprang up, and, with a sharp sigh, fell
senseless at my feet.
GAS you may well conceive, l was alarm
ed for an instant, but quickly raising her
form upon the divan at the side ofthe room,
I repeated the rap upon this tooth, which,
like the rest, was to all outward appearance,
and I found, though respiration
had temporarily ceased. the effect Of this
jar upon the tooth produced a result
upon the patient like that Of a galvanic
shock ailmost-the girl starting violently and
struggling in my hands with fearful spasms,
at each repeated stroke against the jaw
Assuming the responsibility of my pro
fession and position, therefore, and believ-
ing that the mystery of her illness vas in
solne way connected With the facial nerves.
I quickly resolved to try an experiment to
her, at least temporarily. And ia
the forceps from my dental pocket case.
I applied them to what l deemed the often
ding tooth, in instantly removed it from the
jaw while she lay apparently insensible upon
the couch"
ssAnd what was the result?' | asked.
"In a moment she came to consciousness,
and placing her hand On her forehead, she
enquired, where am I? All, doctor, what
have you doneT AND then missing n of
her teeth, she said, what have you done 2
And I briefly replied that I thought I had
the mystery Of her Illness"
Upon the side of this tooth, which was
there adhered q bit ofstraw, or what
seemed to be a diminutive sharp splinter of
hard. grained wood, perhaps thrce-eighths Of
an inch in length, and not larger than a
needle in circumference, which had
been plainly forced up accidentally, and to
her unconsciously. months previously,
through the gum, and which penetrated to
the foot Of the tooth, near the connection
where it enters the jaw. And there it had
remained to fret and chafe one Of the most
delicately sensitive points in the head, until
forbearahce with it was too much for
the sufferers physical strength"
Well, did this operation cure herr
"Not instantly. But this trivial matter
the really mysterious cause Of her pin
ing illness, evidently ; for in ten days after
my first visit she was as calm as you and L
are now. and very soon she entirely recover
cd, as her spirits revived"
"And old Rabino? What did he say to
your treatment =
"Hc was delighted, and frankly offered
me anything I would ask for Q reaEmers-
He sent me a score of doubloons as
an earnest Of his good intentions, and blaz-
oned my success abroad among his host Of
friends directly. I soon became famous,
and my rooms were for a time besieged With
invalids whose ills had been of short or long
duration, and whom neither my skill nor
of those who had made attempts on these
incurables, could evec relieve of their mani
fold complaints. Still the consequence Of
all was that l sprang at once into notoriety
and made a splendid renlunerative practice
and l have now a very comfortable compe-
tency, as we'll as a prospective good bust
ness"
II congratulate you, doctor. But what
became Of the lady 7"
"0h, Sonora Carlotta ? had almost for.
gotten to say that when I found that she
was rapidly improving, I ought to have
discontinued my professional visits; but
neither father nor mother would listen to
this. Not until the young lady had entirely
recovered did I cease to visit the fine old
ranch daily. And finally, my dear friend,
when the fair Sonora had resumed her
health, ! claimed the remuneration for my
services"
"Of course You did, you earned it,"
"And what do you think I finally de.
manded ?"
"That I could not guess at-we profession.
al gentlemen are usually, SO modest" 1 said:
''and especially when successful"
"Well," he continued, II arranged the
affair first with Sonora Carlotta. And then
I demanded her hand in marriage of old
Rabino."
"You did 2"
Il did. And | made her my wife, Of
course"
married ?" | exclaimed. "Then you
are no LONGER a haohalor %,