Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-07
The Doctors Story.

w WIZ q Auo1 "a uOCtS1s, euJUy1iS
ourselves after meeting Of the Hippo
cratick Medical Society, whose members
we're ecos1umed to assemble once year
for purposes of mutual edifcation and i'm
provement. DR.. Galen Cupps was in the
chair. He was our Nestor, our old man
eloquent, living professional legendary
budget. On mis- face you could read ssEn-
tertainment" as plainly as you ever saw
it painted on an old-fashioned taven-
sign; and to it, after day of weary ram
bling over the dusty paths of therapeutic
lore, we turned as naturally for refreshr
ment as the tired wayfarer hats before
the inviting signboard waving hospitable
welcome to the cheer within.
Genial DR.. Cupps! Like Father Grimes,
that other good old man, wen 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 brethren, few OF us,
l fear. have money to spend in that way.
How do young doctors, as rule, get
their startl" quelied a cynical-looking
Nj. d. at the foot of the table, with a
nose as sharp as the tipof his own lancet
leaving out, of course, exceptional
cases, like that of man swallowing
tish-bone, or dropping suddenly in fit,
where there's no choice but to seek the
nearest aid. What ask is, how do peo-
pie come to trust their lives deliberately
in inexperienced hands? What's the
phi osophy ofits"
Popular ignorance, probably sug-
gested one.
"Or cheek in the youngster," another
limited.
"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.
"Won't you tell US about it?" we en-
| treated.
DR.. Cupps was not the man to refuse.
"Young men nowadays" he began.
"enter the profession with other advan-
tages 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 I took my degree after a
creditable examination, doubt if could
then have distinguished, by inspection,
between the incipient stages of chicken
pox and measles. Had been called to
treat simple case of rheumatism, ten to
one should have found verdict OF
wilite-swelling, and passed a sentence OF
amputation without stopping to ask the
victim what he had to say against it. MY
first patient was Percy Topbam, a young
man who had inherited splendid consti
tuition as we'll as fortune, but was fast
doubt, would have fallen into Dingo's
hands, for he monopolized the practice
hereabout, 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.
81 arrived to find my patient taking
on at an awful rate, sure enough.
"Poker in hand, he was laying ubou
him in manner highly detrimental tt
the furniture. He was killing snakes, h,
said. Had it been dogs, hydrophobis
might have been my diagnosis; bu
snakes, knew, meant dezirium trenens
And such was the decision Of Mr.. Top
hams own more practiscd judgment, tol
turning towar me, in lucid moment
I've got EN-, Doc" he said.
did my best to calm him, assure
him l should bring him round, place
my fingers on his pulse, and began t
count the beats, but, darting from me, h
exclaimed:
There goes the biggest snake yet
the old serpent Of ALL making a slas
with the poker, which caused me t
dodge into a corner.
Leaving two to watch him, and &C
companied by the man who had sum
moned me, hurried home to prepar
such remedies as should conclude tn
case required-a point, must confess,
was very far from clear upon. I ha
been reared in temperate community
had seen little Of intoxication or its effect!
, oAu LIZ ACAu1uS udu uOL UOIuc Spelall
IN that direction.
Before reaching my Office, however,
decided what course to take. There wa
no time to consult books. Besides, wa
.. ashamed to do that in the presence of th
man who waited to carry bac
the physic. He would have taken it as
confession of ignorance, ana would hay
, lost no time in proclaiming me to be
Ounce.
"Overhauling my supply of drugs, an
taking little from every one, produce
mixture, some element of which Nigh
prove service.
"'Give lin tablespoonful of il ever
half hour" said to the man, handin
him the bottle, on wheel I was careful
to put no label.
Not caring to be present to witnes
the effect Of my prescription, Tell Nj
Topham I'll call in the morning,'I sai0
"Whatever my patient did, 1 passed
bad night. Of all cases in which to max
my debut, why should the malignant fate
send the very one most likely to expos
me?
With many misgivings l presente,
myself next morning at the patient
door. I was glad to see there was n
Grape on it. Passing the servant who ad
; mitted me. I hurried. trembling. to tn