The Van Buren press., 1879-01-25
The Doctors Story.


CASE OF A MIsDIRECTRp PRESCRIPTION
We were lot of doctors, relaxing to
gether after meeting of the Hippocratit
Medical society, whose members were &C
customed to assemble once year for the
purposes of mutual edincation and i'm
provement.
DR.. Galem Cupps was In the chair, He
was our Nestor, our old man eloquent
a living professional legendary budget
On his face you could read "entertain.
ment' as plainly 1s you ever saw it pain
ted on an old fashioned tavern sign and
to it, after day of weary rambling over
the dusty paths OF therapeutic lore, We
turned as naturally for refreshments as
the tired wayfarer halts before the invit
ing sign board waving hospitable vel
come to the cheer within.
Genial DR.. Cupps like Father Grimes
that other good old man, "we'll never sec
him more" No monument marks his
last resting place. The guild Of under.
takers. possessed they spark of graft
tude. 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 n rule.
get their start!" quered a cynical look
ing NJ. ID at the foot Of tue table, with
nose as sharp as the tip of his own Ian
cet-"leaving out, of course exceptional
cases, like that OF man swallowing a
dsh-bone or dropping suddenly into fit
VIII re there is no choice but to seek the
nearest aid "What ask is, how do
ately in experienced hands whats the
philosophy Of it
popular ignorance, probably" sug-
gested one.
"Or cheek in the youngsters" another
hinted
Its mostly luck, think" remarked
the chair, whereon had converged num-
ber Of inquiring looks.
"Come, doctor, give us your expert
ence on the point" was moved and sec.
onded.
Mine was case Of pure luck" he
said.
Won't you tell us about III" we en-
treated.
DR., Galen Cupps was not the man to
refuse.
Young men nowadays he began,
enter the profession with other adyanta-
ges than we old fellows had The public
hospitals, now accessible to students. af-
ford them opportunities to learn much
by observation. which we were left to
find out through experiments on our pa
tlents.
Though took my degree after cred
table examination, doubt il could
then have distinguished by inspection be
tween the insipient stages OF chicken pox
and measles. Had been called to trea,
simple case of rheumatism, ten to one
| should have found verdict Of white
swelling. and passed sentence Of ampnta.
tien without stopping to ask the victim
what he had to say against it.
My first patient was Percy Tophan, =
young man who had inherited a splendid
constitution as we'll as fortune, but was
fast making away with both.
"The case, no doubt, would have fal
len into Dingo's hands, for he monopo
lized the practice thereabout, but for his
absence on distant call.
".Come quick. sir, urged the messen-
ger, 'Mr Pcrcy's takin' on at an awful
rate"
Without staying to inquire further,
took my bat aud sailed forth, quite for.
getting, in the excitement, the new pill
bugs wherein were stored my stock ol
samples.
"I arrived to find my patient 'takin
on at an awful rate. sure enough.
Poker in hand, he was laying abou
him in manner highly detrimental tc
the furniture He was killing snakes, ht
said. Had be been killing dogs, hydro
phobia might have been my diagnosis
but snakes, knew, meant dellrium tre
mems. And such was the decision Of Mr.
Topham's own more practlced judge
ment, for, turning toward me, in a lucid
moment:
"I've got 'em, Doc he said.
al did my best to calm him, assured
him should bring him round, placed my
fingers on his pulse and began to coun
the beats, but darting from me, he ex
claimed
".There goes the biggest snake yet
the old serpent of all = making slasf
with the poker which caused me to dodge
into corner.
Leaving two to watch him, and &C
companied by the man who had summon
ed me, hurried home to prepare sucl
remedies as | should conclude the case
requircd--a point must confess, | was
very far from clear upon. | had beel
reared in a temperance community, had
| seen little of intoxication or its effects
aud my reading had not borne specially
! in that direction.
Before reaching my Office, however
| decided what course to take, There
was no time to consult books. Besides
} ] was ashamed to do that in the presence