Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-01-18
WHAT A WIFE DID.

An exchange has scented out the story
of a cheerful party, of the name of Mar
garet, who was set adrift In one of the
river counties some seventy years ago
and whose progeny have been a trouble
to this same county ever since. Of the
900 defendants, through six generations,
the writer tells US, a great number have
been idiots. imbeciles, drunkards, luna
tics, paupers, and prostitutes, but 200
of the more vigorous are on record as
criminals. This neglected little child
has thus cost the county authorities, in
the effects she has transmitted, hundreds
of thousands of dollars in the expense
and care of criminals and paurers, be
sides the untold damage she has inflicted
on property and public morals. This
certainly is not record particularly
pleasant to contemplate nor suggestive
of cheerful thoughts for Sunday reading.
Yet it is peculiarly and mournfully
suggestive story, for all that, and points
to the duty Of the community in proper
ly raising and taking care of pauper
children. 1t is difficult to estimate the
harm that may be done to a community
by single depraved and demoralized
nature This Margaret" in her child
hood, was buffeted about from pillar to
post and not hand was stretched for
ward to lead her TO a better life. Had
kind words been spoken to her, had she
been given the means of employment,
there probably would have been no occa-
sion, at the present day, to have counted
up her progeny as criminals and bur-
den to the country. The mistake we all
make is in treating paupers too much
as such. 1t is at least worth while to
try the experiment of treating them
more like human beings and bringing
back to them brighter hopes and aspira-
tons. The experiment might not per-
haps be unvaryingly successful, but still
there would be some reclamation from
utter worthlessness, and it is well worth
trying for the sake of these.
The ApoTHEcARY' S OATH-The Med
ical and Surgical Reporter has unearth-
ed singular bit of medieval cursing
architecture. Says that journal; Who
is the guardian saint of the apothecaries
we do not know. but somebody has dis
inferred an ancient oath which formerly
had to be taken by every French phar-
maceutist 1t runs thus:
Il take to witness. before all, God.
the Creator of the universe, in three
persons, that during the whole of my
| life | will observe that which follows:
| will live and die in the Christian
faith. viii honor my parents. | will
honor the physicians under whom | have
studied. | will never say anything that
shall be injurious to the seniors Of our
order, or to others. | will adorn with
my best the dignity of the art, and
] will not reveal its secrets. / win do
nothing imprudently nor through hope
of gain. In acute sickness will not
give purgatives without the order of the
| physician. | viii keep the secrets Of
the patients. | will administer no pois-
on, neither will allow it TO be admin
istered. even to nay enemies. | will not
alter the prescriptions Of physicians. !
will never substitute ono remedy for an
other without their knowledge. | will
discourage the fatal practice of empires
will refuse to no person my legitimate
assistance. ! will not keep in my phar-
macy stale or badly prepared medica.
ments.
In making and observing these rules
may God assist me. Ainsi soit-ili"
This i not such an antiqnated oath
but that We should like to see it revived
and respected.
When ST. Albans girl puts her foo,
down, mountains trcmble and little killl
jump up and down.-Burttngton Demo
1 e,-nf