The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-03-16
A HEARTLESS JOKE.

The Fort Wayne Sentinel, speaking Of
the foolishness of a smallpox scare. il
lustrates the effect of the imma2iDation
by tho following:
You have Of course heard of persons
having their imaginations so wroght upon
as to cause their death from some suppos.
ed disease or illness. Now, no ono has,
far as heard from, been frightened to that
extent on account of the smallpox scare.
but case in point happened here twenty
two years ago, that will serve to point
moral if not adorn tale. The cholera
was then raging pretty generally, and
numbers ofpeople had lett Fort Wayne
fearing to be attacked by the scourge.
Three doctors were conversing about the
plagre, the effect. fear and Imagination
had upon people, ETC., etc. One of them
(now dead for the last ten years or more)
proposed test of this. He named
strong, robust man, butcher by occupa.
ton. named Dolman, who then kept his
shop on the canal directly back of Col
umbia street. Of the many strong and
healthy men, probably not one could be
found who was so nearly a perfect man
physically. He was also at the time in
superb health, Of full habit and good
weight, So the trio ageeed to subject
Dolman to the above mentioned test.
Each Of the three disciples of Esculapius
was to 60 into the shop on pretonso Of
purchasing meat, and then lead the butch.
er to talk on the subject of cholera, or
in someway to impress him with the be-
lief that he was about to become its VIC
tim.
The first doctor entered the shop, aud
after passing the compliments of the day
with the proprietor, ordered pound OF
steak. 1t was cut, and the unsuspecting
man of meat began to weigh it,
why" said the doctor, show badly
you look ! What is the matter with yor
Dolman ?"
Nothing a. ALL" said Dolman, "nevel
felt heartier or better in my lifc."
"But surely something ails you; yo,
are looking ill.,"
"Well," said the victim, "I'm verl
well; nothing is the matter with me-"
After looking at Dolman a minute tn
doctor passed out.
Entered then the second of the trio
who also ordered some meat He likewis
looked searchingly at the butcher, an'
} then said
"Why Dolman, what is the matte
with you? You are looking ILL., Your
going to be sick. I'm afraid"
The poor man replied that he was no
i'll. and felt as well as he ever did.
} The doctor looked obviously at niI
and went out.
5 The last of the three who had put u
: the job" on Dolman came in after a while
, He requested the butcher to cut him o
, nice piece Of steak. AS this reque'
1 was about to be complied with, the doc
? tor examined the meat, aud remarked i
q an earnest way; mo |, want take it
I that meat has cholera in it."
t This was the last straw. The poo
(; wretch began to think he was in a ba
t way, The doctor, as soon as he had ut
r tered the rash words. walked off aud lei
= Dolmau to his own reflections, which wer
:, none Of the pleasantest.
Q Dolman Immediately "shut up shop
a aud went home. He fell sick and ha
J, as genuine a case of cholera as was eve
+ seen. The srtifce of the medical tri
i had succeeded too well. For rtunatel
the mans splendid constitution carrie
t him through, and he recovered. Had h
II been a man Of little strength, highly su
Il oeptible to disease. and all that, the r.
suit very likely would have been death
# But that was not all. The doctor wi
a had proposed the trial attended Dolma
v while he was sick, and presented bI
t for his services. The butcher, having I
t money, couldn't pay it To satisfy h
Q claim the doctor took Dolmans horse ar
d cart aud sold them to pay his bill, thoug
s ho himself was the principal cause OF Il
g poor fellows illness.
VI The circumstances are doubtless remel
bered by many 10 this city, though th'
q will also be new to numbers Of peop
ls now here.