The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-03-04
Fright and Contaeion.

he L OTC w dyne ACCUt LJttt. speaking Vi
the foolishness of a smallpox scare, H.
illustrates the effect oe the Imagination by
the following: You have of course
heard Of persons having their magma
tions SO wrought upon as to cause their
death from the supposed disease or ILL
ness. Now, no one has, as far as heard
from, been frightened to that extent on
account Of the smallpox scare of yester-
day, but case in point happened here
twenty-five years ago that will serve to
point moral if not adorn tale. The
cholera was then raging pretty generally,
and numbers of people had left Fort
Wayne, fearing to be attacked by the
scourge. Three doctors were conversing
about the plague, the effect fear and i'm.
agination had upon people, ETC., etc. One
of them (now dead for the last ten years
or more) proposed test Of this. He
named a strong, robust man, butcher by
occupation, named Dolman, who then kept
his shop on the canal directly back Of Co.
lumbia street. OF the many strong and
healthy men, probably not one could be
found who was SO nearly perfect man,
physically. He was also at the time in
superb health, Of full habit and good
weight. So the trio agreed to subject
Dolman to the. above mentioned test.
Each three disciples of Esculapius was
to go into the shop on pretense of purchas-
ing meat, and then lead the butcher to
talk on the subject of cholera, or in some
way to impress him with the belief that
he was about to become its victim.
The first doctor entered the shop, and,
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 you,
Dolman -
Nothing at ALL" said Dolman; 81
never felt heartier or better in my
life.'
"But surely something ais you; you
are looking ill.,
SWELL" said the victim, s1'm very
well; nothing at all is the matter with
me-"
After looking at Dolman a minute the
doctor passed out.
Entered then the second Of the trio,
who also ordered some meat. He like
wise looked searchingly at the butcher
and then said
why, Dolman. what is the matter
with you You are looking ill. You re
going to be sick, I'm afraid
The poor man replied that he was not
i'll, and felt as we'll as he ever did in his
life.
The doctor looked obviously at him
and went out.
The last of the three who had "put up
the job" on Dolman came in after a while
He requested the butcher to cut him off
nice piece Of steak. As this request
was about to be complied with, the doc
tor examined the meat, and remarked in
an earnest way. mo, l won't take it !,
that meat has cholera in it.
This was the last straw. The poor
wretch began to think he was in q bad
way. The doctor, as soon as he had ut
tered the rash words, walked of and left
Dolman to his own reflections, which were
none Of the pleasantest.
Dolman Immediately ssshut up shop"
and went home. He fell sick and had, it
is said, as genuine case of cholera as
ever was seen. The artifice of the medi-
cal trio had succeeded too we'll. Fortu-
nately the mans splendid constitution
carried him through and he recovered.
Had he been q man of little strength,
highly susceptible to disease, and all that
the result very likely would have been
death.
But that was not all. The doctor
who had proposed the trial attended DOL
man while he was sick, and presented q
bill for his services. The butcher, having
no money. couldn't pay it. To satisfy
his claim the doctor took Dolman's horse
and cart and sold them to pay his bill,
though he himself was the principal cause
of the poor fellow illness.
The circumstances are doubtless re-
membered by many in this city, though
they viii also be new to numbers Of peo-
pie now here.
The Wells Leader reports that Mr.. l.
Lockerly of Massillon, Blue Earth coun-
ty, injured in the smasA up or. the Gen.
raj railroad not long since, is Iying in .
critical condition from internal injuries.