The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-11

"Young men, nowadays" he began, "cnter
the profession with other advantages than we
old fellows had The public hospitals now &C
cessible to students, afford them opportunities
TO learn much by observation, which we were
left to find out through experiments on our
patients,
Though took my degree after crcdtable
examination, doubt if | could then have dis
| tnguished by inspection between the inclp,
lent stages OF chicken-poX and measles. Had
| | been called to treat Il simple case OF rAeuma-
! tism, ten to one should have found verdict
Of white swelling, and passed a sentence of
amputation without stopping to ask the vic
tim what he had to say against it. My trs'
patient was Percy Topham, young man who
| had inherited a splendid constitution rs well
ms fortune but was fast making way with both.
| The case no doubt, would have fallen into
Dingos hands, for he monopolized the prac-
tce thcrcabout but for his absence on : distant
call.
| Come, quick, sir" urged the messenger
Mr.. Percy's taking on at an awful rate
without staying to inquire further
snatchcd my hat and sailed forth, quite forget
ting in the excitement the new pill bags where
in was stored my stock OF samples
Il arrived to find my patient taking on at
an awful rate, sure enough.
"Poker in hand he was laying about him IN
manner highly detrimental to the furniture.
He was killing snakes he said. Had it been
dogs, hydrophobia might have been my dag
nosis; but snakes, | knew meant delirium
tremcns. And such was the decision OF Mr..
Topham's own more practiced judgment for,
turning to me in lucid moment:
"I'vc got 'em, Doc
II did my best to calm him, assured HIM |
should bring him around, placed my finger on
| his pulse and began to count the beats when
darling from me exclaimed:
There goes the biggest snake yet-the old
serpent of all p making o slash with the poker,
which caused me to dodge into corner.
Leaving two to watch HIM, and accompan-
led by the man who had summoned me, hur-
ried home to prepare such remedies as should
conclude the case required-a point | must
confess, was very far from clear upon. ! had
been reared in a temperate community, had
seen little of iHtoxication or its effects, and my
reading had not borne specially in that dlrec-
| ton
Before reaching my office however, de.
clded WI 1t 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 confession of Ignorance, and would have
lost no time in proclaiming me Ounce.
"Overhauling my supply of drugs, and TAX
ing little from every one, produced a mix
turc, some element OF which | hoped might
prove of service.
"'Give him tablespoonful of it every half
hour ! said to the man, handing him the bot
tie, on which | was careful to put no label.
mot caring to be present to witness the eff
| feet of my maiden prescription, Tell Mr. Top
ham pll call in the morning. | said.
Whatever my patient did, l passed u bad
night. OF all cases in which to make my de-
but, why should the malignant fates send the
very one most likely to expose me?
with many misgivings presented myself
at the door of my patient the next morning. |
was glad to see there was no Grape on it. Pass
ing the servant who admitted me, | hurried
trembling to the sick room.
"'Good morning, Doc cried the invalid,
rising from Il sumptuous breakfast wiping his
mouth with one hand and extending me the
other. by George, you did bring me round
famously! That stuff was mighty nasty but
it did the business I'm sound as dollar this
morning
Before | could reply, aservlng man entered,
the same by whom had sent the medicine.
whats the matter, Dicky said Topham.
Boxers dead, sir.
-"Doad! the deuce! there's go. | suppose
you forgot to call ut Bolts, the farriers, for
that drench yesterday just like you when my
back is turned
mo, SIR the man replied; 4 stopped and
got it on my way from the doctors and gave
it according to direction
"Just my luck' cried Topham shifting the
table You see, Doc, Boxer was my fastest
trotter. counted on winning Il mint of money
on him at the coming races, and now he's gone
and kicked the bucket. Well, peace to his
names, as the poet says. Here Dick, hand the
doctor that medicine bottle from the mantle
He may as well fill it up again, THIS morn
ing's luck may set me on n fresh spree, and
there's no telling when | may need another
dose.
"a glance at the bottle rs | took it made me
start. 1t bore label, on which | read Simon
Bolts, Farricr
"'Can it be" | mentally exclaimed, that it
was Bolts potion that cured the man and
mine that killed the horse? 1t was "A strong
case of circumStantial evidence at any rate.
Quietly pockctng the bottle, | went my
way II the truth was rs | surmiscd 1t never
came out. Topham sounded my praises every
where, and soon the local death list was pretty
equally filled with the names of old Dingos
patients and my own"
---------
A Legend of Brittany.
Every one Is familiar with the name of
Jeanne de Montiort Every one knows with