The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-04-11
THE DOCTORS STORY.

THE DOCTORS STORY.
We were knot Of doctors, enjoying
ourselves after meeting of the Hippo
cratic Medical Society. whose members
were aecostumed to assemble once veal
tor purposes of mutual edification and i'm
provement. DR.. Galen Cupps was in the
chair. He was our Nestor, our old mau
eloquent, living professional Legendary
budget. On mis- face you could read "En.
tertainment" as plainly as you ever saw
it painted on an old-fashioncd taven-
sign; and to it, after day of weary ram
bling over the dusty paths of therapeutic
lore: we turned as naturally for retrcsh1
ment as the tired wayfarer halts before
the inviting signboard waving hospitable
welcome to the cheer within.
GENIAL Dr. Cupps Like Father Grimes,
that other good old man, "wel. never see
him more" No monument marks his
last resting place. The guild Of under
takers, possessed they spark of gratitude,
would not suffer this to be. As for his
surviving professional brethern, few OF US,
fear. have money to spend in that way.
"How do young doctors, as a rule, get
their start?' queried a cynical Looking
NJ. d. at the foot of the table, with q
nose as sharp as the tip Of his own lancet
-'leaving out, of course, exceptional
cases, like that of a man swallowing a
fisll-bone, or dropping suddenly in fit,
where there's no choice but to seek the
nearest aid. What I ask is, how do peo-
pie come TO trust their lives deliberately
in inexperienced hands? What's the
philosophy of it!''
popular ignorance, probably sug-
gcstt d one.
"Or cheek in the youngster," another
hinted.
''lt's mostly luck, Think remarked
the chair, wherein had converged num-
Der OF inquiring looks.
"Come, doctor. give us your experience
on the point, was moved and seconded.
mime was case Of pure luck" said
he.
wont you tell US about it?' we en-
treated.
Or. Cupps was not the man to refuse.
"1oung men nowadays" he began.
''enter the profession with other advan-
tagcs than we old fellows had. The pub
lie hospitals, now accessible to students,
afford them opportunities to learn much
by observation, which we we're left to
find out through experiments.
"Though l took my degree after a
creditablc examination, doubt if could
then have distinguished, by inspection,
between the Incl pient stages of chicken
pox and measles. Had l been called to
treat simple case of rheumatism, ten to
one should have found verdict of
wiiite-swelliug, and passed sentence of
amputation without stopping to ask the
victim what he had to say against it. Nv
first patient was Percy Topham, youn e
man who had inherited splendid consti-
tuition as we'll as fortune, but was fast
making way with both. The case, no
doubt, would have fallen into Dingos
hands, for he monopolized the practice
thereabout, but for his absence on a dis
tant call.
"'Come quick, sir !urgcd the messenger;
Mr.. Percy's taking on at an awful rate.
"Without staying to inquire further,
snatched my hat an sailed forth, quite
forgetting, in the excitement, the new
pill-bags wherein was stored my stock of
samples.
II arrived to find my patient taking
on at an awful rate, sure enough.
"Poker in han1, he was laying ubout
him in a manner highly detrimental to
the furniture. He was killing snakes. he
said. Had it been dogs, hydrophobia
might have been my dias asnosis; but
snakes, l knew, meant deliriuna t7xn,ens.
And such was the decision of Mr.. Top.
hams own more practiscd Judgment, tor,
turning toward NE, in lucid moment
"1've got EN-. Doc" he said.
:" | did my best to calm him, assured
him should bring him round, placed
my fingers on his pulse, and began to
count the beats, but, darting from me, he
exclaimed:
"'Thcre goes the biggest snake yet
the old serpent of oil! making slash
with the poker, which caused me to
dodge into corner.
Leaving two to watch him, and &C.
companied by the man who had sum-
moned ME, | hurried home to prepare
such remedies as I should conclude the
case required-a point, must l confess,
was very far from clear upon. l hal
been reared in a temperate community.
had seen little of fintoxication or its effects,
and my reading had not borne specially
In that direction.
"Beforc reaching my Office, however, I
decided what course to take There was
no time to consult books. Besides, was
ashamed to do that in the presence of the
man who waited to carry back
the physic. He would have taken it as a
confession of Ignorance, ana would have
lost no time in proclaiming me to lie a
Ounce.
"0verhauling my supply Of drugs, and
taking little from every one, produced
a mixture, some element of which might
prove service
"'Give him tablespoonful of i: every
half hour" said to the man. handing
him the bottle, on whice l was careful
to put no label.
mot caring to he present to witness
the effect of my prescription, tell Mr..
Topham I'll call in the morning,'l said
"Whatever my patient did, passed q
bad night. OF all cases in which to make
my debut, why should the malignant fates
send the very one most likely to expose
met
with many misgivings l presented
s.lf next morning at: the patients
- L. ~