Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-07-08

Bon WHIrIow's FIRST PATIENT
How, as general thing, young doctors
and lawyers get their first patients and
clients is one Of the unsolved mystic
ries.
know how it was in Bob whitlow's
case.
Bob, after graduating with honor at
. first-class medical college, went out
West and picking ont populons and
sickly neighhorhood, pitched his pro-
fessioual tent, hung out his shingle. and
boldly offered himself-as healer Of The
si * s,sHs.ss1 sssstsy 5srsly sui.
feed to meet The hpenses Of his cole
gate and medical course. leaving his
sole dependence for the future on sue
cess in the wslk Of life which he had
chosen.
A few months convinced him that
the immediate prospect was not very
promising. DR.. Chincpugh had reigned
there for so many yearswith undisputed
sway, that the offerof a young and mex
perienced practitioner to compete with
him was generally looked upon as a
piece ofimpertinence.
True, the neighboring graveyard
disclosed a mortality out of all proper
ton to the population; but nobody at
tributed it to "Old Chin" as some of
the less respectful called him. have
already said it was a sickly region, and
Old Chin had happy knack, moreover,
when his patients died of laying the
blame on Providence, and when they
didn't of ascribing to himself the glo-
~.
As for my friend, Bob Whitlow, Old
Chin simply ignored his existence.
Things began to look blue for Bob.
His board bill fell behind, his Office
rent got into arrears, and unless affairs
took u speedy turn, an unpleasant cri-
sis must be reached soon.
One day well-dressed young travel
Ter fell sick at the village inn. The
landlord-with whom Bob boarded
would fain have gotten the latter into
the case; for the stranger had the APP
pearance Of man able to pay, and, if
Bob got a good fee, the prospect of his
board bill being settled would be decid.
edly improved.
Accordingly, when the sick gentle.
man spoke of calling physician, the
landlord would have recommended
Bob on the spot; but the stranger, 60
ing on to say that he wished to consult
a physician of age and experience, his
landlord had no alternative bu, to name
DR.. Chincough.
Call him in immediately" said the
sick man.
Old Chin, found the stranger danger.
ously i'll. He invariably found his pa.
tients so. Catch him undertaking the
difficulty of a case. He gave assurance
of his ability, however, to bring the
gentleman round In time, though the
process might be slower than could be
wished.
Strong medicines and plenty Of them
was Old Chin's rule of faith and prac-
tice, and on it he set to work in the
present case.
The result was singnlarly unsuccess-
full Every symptom comhated seemed
to be aggravated by the remedy where.
with it was thought to allay it, whilst
the patient was constantly complaining
of fresh pains in parts Of his body no;
assailed before.
Old Chin was at his wits end. He
had never, in his whole professional life
met with case so obstinate.
Meanwhile the patient grew rapidly
worse, and at last, to all appearance
lay at deaths door.
Old Chin gave it up. His skill was
fairly baff,ed.
4 feel it my duty to warn you,' he
said, addressing the sinking patient
that your case is Beyond the reach OF
medical aid. If you have any worldly
matters to attend to there is no time
to be lost
1s-there-noo ther-physican in the
place 2 feebly gasped the stranger.
Old Chin shook his head.
BEG PARDON the landlord ventured
to hint There's DIR. Whitlow.'
oh, / did't think Of him. said OLD
Chin with sniff.
Send for him. said the stranger.
yes, send for him., said Old Chin
with evident disgust.
A message was dispatched, and Boil
lost no time in obeying the summons
Old Chin, with q supercilious air
gave Bob brief summary of the case
and an outline of the treatment hither.
to pursued.
4 trust it meets your appreciation,
he added, with curl of the lip.
4 only wonder the man isn't dead ?
calculated Bob.
What do you mean, Mr.--wit-
less2
'Wbitlow,' corrected Bob.
Willow or felon, beloved Old Chin,
in fury. 4 demand an explanation of
your insolence!
4 only mean,' said Bob quietly, that
the remedies Won have administered
were enough to have killed horse
Perhaps you can prescribe better,
sneered Old Chin.
If l couldn't / would't try, said
Bob.
Suppose you do try, retorted Old
Chin, contemptuously.
There's my prescription, answered
Bob. having written it of hastily.
What ! replied the other with deep
surprise, 'stimulants for q maa in his
j