Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-10-05
ssDR.v FLOWERS.
Expose Of His Operations, and how His
Victims were s'dOne fOr''.. Items, &c.

Victims were ssdone for".. Items, &c.
Mr.. EDITOR:-One of our most in
dustrious farmers recently entered le-
gal Office at this place and asked the in
cumbent thereof if there was any law
against killing the devil" Blackstone
replied that it would become necessary
to first catch his majesty" and this hap
pened to be just the joke of the matter,
although to our farmer friend some
what serious one, as his indignant de-
meanor testified. 1t proved to be the
old story, not the one Of mans incon-
stancy and woman's devotion and ruin,
but that other one, where confidence in
brother mans integrity is misplaced,
and the game of fleeing the pocket by
the most cruel of methods, is success
fully played Our friend proceeded to
state that a man styling himself DR..
Flowers had obtained his note for sixty
dollars, and hereby hangs the tale.
This smooth-tongued rascal perambu-
lated the county, promising to cure any
and all the ills to which the creature,
man, is subject, Away provided that
said creature was pecuniarily RESPONSE
BILE. 1t appears that his skill was not
adapted to the poorer classes. This
sharper has reduced his system Of swim
ding to a complete science. He had in
his employ an accomplice, whose duty
it was to scOur in advance. the country
in search of victims. This bearer of
good tidings had learned his lesson well,
and rarely failed to excite in his victim
an interest in the forthcoming medical
wonder. He was instructed to make no
mistake as to the responsibility of the
sufferer. Having obtained the history
of the case, and the patients own views
thereon, he reports the same to the
Or" who in the fullness of time APP
pears. Then is played to perfection the
worldwide game OF the accomplished
quack. By profuse use of medical
terms, he impresses the patient with a
belief in his superior wisdom aud learn
ing He guarantees certain and per-
feet cure of the case, which he declares
to be inevitably fatal unless treated at
once. To clinch all, he displays pre-
tended diploma, which, being printed in
Latin the patient knows as little about
as of the jargon so glibly delivered
Then, when all is ripe as to confidence
in his skill, and hope of recovery, the
minor question of pay is introduced,
and note of from $50 to 800, always
in advance. This is but rarely refused
and the game is practically ended A
cart load, AS one expressed it-Of
medicine" is left, enough, of course to
last until his mission in that vicinity is
70
a certain date, this messenger of mercy
after pocketing his note, disappears.
This is the last of DIR. Flowers showing
that Blackstone builded better than he
knew in his answer to the farmer OF
at least fifty cases of this kind known
to the writer hereof, not solitary case
has to his knowledge received the least
benefit Many of the cases were incur
able, others only fancied ailments, that
local physicians had refused to recog-
nize. But worse than these is class
of cases which by maltreatment were
greatly aggravated, or, when tampering
with this irresponsible and heartless ras-
cal, lost the opportunity OF relief. One
case, the facts or which can be attested
by no less than four physicians, seems,
for it's brutality, almost incredible. A
lady was subjected to terribly severe
operation for disease which had no ex-
istence. Its pretended location upon
an internal organ enabled the villain to
accomplish the deception. The shrieks
of his victim and the horrors of the
scene were such as to drive the friends
from the house. 1t may be asked why
,nod;oo1 man ubo olopo oro ohio to do
tect such villainy, do not expose prac
tice of this kind. 1t is simply for the
reason that the moment one of this class
utters a word of warning he is met with
the charge of self-interest," jealousy"
and the like. We may add that the
spectacle presented by seeing delin-
quent and faithfully served patrons pay
in one fee from $50 to 500 for such SER
vice, and to such characters, is anything
but agreeable This man Flowers took
from our county not less than $4,000, a
sum representing the work of life-tim
of many honorable practitioners. Cred
ulity in things pertaining to sickness
seems, on the part of the public, unlim-
tied. Every qualified medical man
stands pledged never to degrade his
calling by the devices employed by this
man Flowers. Hence every travelling
advertising DR., so called, is either a
dishonest man or an ignoramus, The
majority of this class are shrewd fel-
lows, taking their degree from some liv-
cry stable which provided horse elm
ic, or those who having failed in other
callings adopt this paying method of
robborx Ac tho Ga1j coo,nc ;navbouot
ible, we may expect more OF this class,
with slight variations, assured that sue
cess awaits them.
On Thursday evening last, three howl
ing drunken demons in human form
dashed through the north part of our
town, flashing their team to it's utmost
speed. The brutes behind came safely
out, as usual, but one of the horses, a
noble animal, after reaching a distance
of about one mile on the Buffalo road
fell dead. Such an exhibition of brutal
ity almost induces belief in the Oar
winian theory, except that one should
reverse the order and put man at the
bottom.
Mr.. Gaylord, of Greenback fame, YER
flied his belief in bonds by subjecting
himself to bonds matrimonial III Dubu-
que city. We knew he would resume
at the proper time without any act OF
Congress. (You may count the puns).
Miss Ada Mills takes the intermediate
department in our schools, choice guar
anteed by her former success.
Mr.. Samuel Braden received on Sun
day last an injury-being thrown from
his horse-which for "a time seemed
very serious. He is now able to be out.
Mr. Rowell, in the employ of Mr.. Sci
dell, is now convalescing from the effects
of an operation for malignant disease.
His friends have strong hopes of his en-
tire recovery.
Should the weather permit, a large
turn out to the Fair may be expected
from this quarter, among which will be
| found SHAKESPEARE.
Winthrop, Oct. I'd.
s. s. Anniversary Celebration.