The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-10-15

ffAdy With d ipiSture ofhunan-
itg andsircny she made a axill IN
9hichshe beqpaathed a life.apnuity
Icfeigbt hundred liyfes to the sur
Igeon, on condition 3that he meyer
egaia blsa qls sbody as.lcpg as hs
Eliyed!v :
q Polish princess abonti:a hund.
drtd years ago, who lcs6 her life ia
similar citehnstances, had the fol-
lOgia ! cIaSse inserted il her viii.
aeenv vincell IF the injury that my
unfortunate accislelt VIII occasion to
the unhappy surgeon who lis the
cause Of my deAth, bequeathto him
a life annuity Of two hundred ducats,
SECURED BY my estate. and fDrgigehis
piiatahn Dom NY steaft twishthis
may Indemnify him for the discredit
which my sorrowful catastrophe will
bring uponthim."
Bleeding in those days, notwith-
standing'its risk, seems to have been
regarded as almost a sovereign reme-
dy for present ills, and an antidote
against. prospective ones. A. good
story is told of Lord C Chesterfield, and
a friend of his, Lord Radnor, who
was fond of acting the surgeon as far
as bleeding was concerned. We will
give it in Mr.. Jeaffreson's own words,
from whose interesting Book About
Doctors we have obtained a portion
Of our information.
"Lord Chesterfield wanting an ad-
ditional vote for a coming division
in the House of Peers, called on Lord
Radnor, and after q little introducto-
ry conversation, complained Of a dis
tressing headache.
"'You ought to lose blood, them
said Lord Radnor.
"'Gad! do you indeed think SO?
Then, my dear lord, do add to the
service of your advice by performing
the operation; I know you are a most
skillful surgeon
"Delighted at the compliment,
Lord Radnor in a trice pulled out his
lancet-case and opened vein in his
friends arm.
"By-the-bye,' asked the patient,
as his arm was being adroitly bound
up, do you go downto the House to.
day?'
"Ihad not intended going,' an.
;ssesed the nobleoperators not being
sufficiently informed on the question
which is to be debated. But you,
who. have considered it, which side
will you vote on?'
|. "ln reply, Lord Chesterfield unfold
ed his view of the case; and Lord
Radnor was SO delighted with the
reasoning of the man who held his
surgical powers in such high estima-
tion, that he forthwith promised to
support the willy earls side in the
division.
"I have shed my blood for the
good of my country said Lord Ches,
terfeld, that evening, to a party of
friends"
Amongst the doctors who have
lived in this century, Abernethy per.
haps figured most conspicuously.-
Though many Of the stories related
of his brusque manners and some
times rude speech are said to be false
or exaggerated, sufficient are authen-
ticated to leave no doubt of his eccen-
tricity. He had, however, under a
rough exterior, kind heart. He
often refused or returned his fees if
he discovered that his patients were
poor. In one well-known instance a
widow lady, whose child had been
under his care, received from him,
inclosed in friendly letter, all the
fees he had taken from her under the
impression that she was well able to
pay-he had learned that her means
were straitened-and in addition ff-
ty pounds, which he begged her to
spend in giving her child a daily
ride in the fresh air. To the honor
of the profession be it said that in.
stances Of kind consideration and
true generosity are far from rare
amongst medical men.
1t is difficult toimagine how Aber.
nethy could act with so much kind.
ness and delicacy Of feeling toward