The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1878-09-21
cor cheek in the youngster," hinted

numDer OF lnqulIlHS IOOkS'
"Come, doctor, give us your expert
ence on the point" was moved and sec
onded.
"Mine was a case of pure luck, said
he.
"Won't you tell us about it?" we
entreated. DR.. Cupps, was not the man
to refuse.
"Young men nowadays" he began,
center the profession with other advan-
tages than we old fellows. The public
hospitals, now accessible to students,
afford the opportunities to learn much
by observation, which we were left to
find out through experiments upon our
own patients.
"Though l took my degree after a
creditable examination, l doubt if l
could then have distinguished, by in
cipient stages of chicken-pox and mea-
sles. Had | been called to treat simple
case of rheumatism, ten to one should
have found verdict of white-swelling,
and passed a sentence of amputation,
without stopping to ask the victim what
he had to say against it. My first pa
tient was Percy Topham, young man
who had inherited splendid constitu-
ton, as we'll as fortune, but was fast
making way with both. The case, no
doubt, would have fallen into Dingo's
hands, for he monopolized the practice
thereabout, but for his absence on dis
tant call.
"'Come quick, sir = urged the mes
senger. 'Mr. Percy's taking on at an
awful rate
Without staying to inquire further, 1
snatcbed my hat and sailed forth, quite
forgetting, in the excitement, the new
pill-bags wherein was stored my stock
of samples.
81 arrived to find my patient 'takin
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, hydropho-
bia might have been my diagnosis {:
but snakes, l knew, meant delirium tre-
mems. And such was the decision Of
Mr.. Topham's own practical judgment,
for, turning to me in lucid moment;
"Tve got 'em, Doc, he said.
81 did my best to calm him, assured
him l should bring him around, placed
my fingers on his pulse, and began to
count the beats, but, darting fromme, he
exclaimed
"'Thcre goes the biggest snake yet !;
the old serpant of all ) making a slash
with the poker that caused me to dodge
into the corner.
"Leaving two to watch him, and, ac-
companied by the man who had sum-
moned me, l hurried home to procure
such remedies as | should conclude the
case required-a point, l must confess,
| was very far from clear upon. | had
been reared in very temperate COM
munity, had seen little of intoxication
or its effects, and my reading had not
borne especially in that direction.
"Before reaching my office, however,
l decided what course to take. There
was no time to consult books. Besides,
| was ashamed to do that in the pres
ence of the man who waited to carry
back the physic. He would have taken
it for a confession of ignorance, and,
would have lost no time in proclaiming
me Ounce.
"Overhauling my supply of drugs and
taking little from every. one, | produc-
ed mixture, some element of which |
hoped might prove of service.
"'Give him teaspoonful of it every
half hour, l said to the man, handing
him the bottle, on which l was careful
not to put label.
"Not caring to be present to witness
the effect of my maiden prescription,
Tell Mr.. Topham I'll call in the morn
ing l said.
"Whatever my patient did, passed
bad night. OF all cases in which to
make my debut, why should the malig-
nant fates send the very one most likely
to expose me?
"With many misgivings l presented
myself next morning at the patients
door, l was glad to see there was no
Grape on it. Passing the servant who
admitted me, | hurried trembling to the
sick room.
."'Good morning, Doc,' cried the
invalid, raising from sumptuous break
fast, wiping his mouth with one hand
and extending the other. by George,
you did bring me through famously !
That stuff was mighty nasty, but it did
the business. I'm sound as a dollar this
morning.
''Before 1 could reply, serving
entered the same by whom had sent
the medicine.
What's the matter, Dick?' said
Topham.
"Boxer'S dead, sir.
dead the duce There a go? |
suppose you forgot to call at Bolts the
Farrier's, for that drench, yesterday
just like you when my back is turned.
"'No, sir, the man replied; Il stop
ped and got it on my way from the doc
tors, and gave it according to direc-
tions.
"'Just my luck = cried Topham,
shifting the table. you see, Doc, Box
er was my fastest trotter. Icounted on
winning 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 mantel. He may as well fill
it up again. This mornings luck may
set me on fresh spree, and there's no
telling how soon may need another
dose.
ga glance at the bottle, as | took it,
made me start. Itbore alable, onwhich
l read, Simon Bolts, Farrier
"'Can it be-, | mentally exclaimed,
that it was Bolts potion that cured the
man. and mine that killed the horse p