The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-04-04
OUR STORY TELLER.
THE DOCTORS STORY.

We were q knot of doctors, enjoying
ourselves after meeting of the Hippo
cratic Medical Society, whose members
were accustomed to assemble once year
for purposes of mutual edification and
improvement. DIR. Galen Cupps was in
the chair. He was our Nestor, our old
man eloquent, a living professional
legendary budget On his face you
could read Entertainment" as plainly
as you ever saw it painted on an old
fashioned tavern sign; and to it, after a
day Of weary rambling over the dusty
paths Of therapeutic lore, we turned as
naturally for refreshment as the tired
wayfarer halts before the inviting sign
board waving hospitable welcome to the
cheer within.
Genial DIR. Cuppsl Like Father
Grimes, that other good old man, "we'll
never see him more" No monument
marks his last resting-place. The guild
of undertakers, possessed they spark
of gratitude, would not suffer this to be.
As for his surviving professional
brethren, few of us, / fear have money to
spend in that way.
How do young doctors, as a rule,
get their first startP' queried cynical
looking NJ. ID. at the foot of the table.
with a nose as sharp as the tip of his
own lancet" leaving out, of course, ex-
ceptional cases, like that of man swal-
lowing fsh-bone, or dropping sud-
denly in fit, where's there's no choice
but TO seek the nearest sid. What / ask
is, how do people come to trust their
lives deliberately in inexperienced hands? !?
What's the philosophy of itT'
Popular Ignorance, probably" sug-
gested one.
cor cheek in the youngster," another
hinted.
"It's mostly luck, think" remarked
the chair, whereon had converged a
number of inquiring looks.
"Come, doctor, give us your expe-
rience on the point" was moved and
seconded.
"Mine was case of pure luck" said
he.
"won't you tell us about it?' we
entreated. DIR. Cupps was not the man
TO refuse.
"Young men nowadays" he began
center the profession with other advan
tages than we old fellows had. The
public hospitals, now accessible to stu
dents, afford the opportunities to learr
much by observation, which we were
left to find out through experiments Oh
our own patients.
"Though I took my degree after
creditable examination, l doubt if
could then have distinguished, by in
spection, between the incipient stages o
chicken-pox and measles. Had l beel
called to treat simple case of rheuma
tism, ten to one should have found
verdict of white-swelling, and passed
sentence of amputation without stoI
A L L
TO say against it. My first patient wa
Percy Topham, a young man who ha
inherited splendid constitution as wei
with both. The case, no doubt, woul
have fallen into Dingo's hands, for b
monopolized the practice thereabout, bu
for his absence on distant call.
I" Come quick, sirp urged the me
senger; Mr.. Percy's taking on at a
awful rate
without staying to inquire furthe
i snatched my hat and sailed fortl
quite forgetting, in the excitement, tt
new pill-bags wherein was stored m
stock of samples.
"I arrived to find my patient takir
on at an awful rate sure enough.
"Poker in hand, he was laying abol
him in a manner highly detrimental
the furniture. He ewas killing snakes
said. Had it been dogs, hydrophob
might have been my diagnosis; b
snakes, knew, meant delirium hemer
And such was the decision of Mr.. To
. hams own more practiced judgmer
for, turning toward me, in a luc
moment:
"Fve got 'em, Doc,' he said.
81 did my best to calm him, assur
him l should bring him round, plac
my fingers on his pulse, and began
count the beats, but darting from me,
exclaimed:
"There goes the biggest snake yet
the old serpent of allP making a sla
with the poker that caused me to dod
into the corner.
Leaving two to watch him, and ;
companied by the man who had SUI
moned me, / hurried home to procu
such remedies as ! should conclude t
case required-a point, must confess
was very far from clear upon. / h
been reared in temperate communi
had seen little of intoxication or
effects, and my reading had not Dor
specially in that direction.
Before reaching my office, howev
L decided what course to take. Tn,
Wao NV sihhC W OOiSulJ DOCKS. DeSlu
was ashamed to do that in the Or
ence Of the man who waited to cal
back the physic. He would have tax
il for a confession of ignorance, a
would have lost no time in proclaim
me Ounce.
Overhauling my supply of dru
and taking little from every one, 1 r
duced a mixture some element of VIII
hoped might prove a service.
Give him tablespoonful oft ev
half hour / said to the man hand
him the bottle, on which / was care
not TO put a label.
Not caring to be present to with
the effect Of my maiden prescripti
Tell Mr.. Topham Pll call in the mo
ing | said.
Whatever my patient did, / pas
bad night. OF all cases in which
make my debut, why should the ma
nant fates send the very one most lik
TO expose me?
with many misgivings / presen
myself next morning at the patiel