Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-06-30
How YOuHg Physicians Get
Their. First Patients.


members were accustomed 10 assemble
once year for purposes Of mutual
edication and improvement. DIR.
Galen Cupps was in the chair. He
was our Nestor, our old man eloquent;
a living professional legendary budget.
On hls face you could read Entertain
ment " 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 tarned as naturally for re-
freshment az the tired wayfarer halts
before the inviting signboard waving
hospitable welcome to the cheer within.
Genial DR.. Cupps! Like Father
grimes, that good old man, well never
see him more.' No monument marks !
his last resting place. The guild OF
gratitude, would not suffer this to be.
AS for this surviving professional breth'
ren, few Of us, fear, have money to
spend in that way.
.How do young doctorJ, as rule,
get their first start?' queried a cyni-
cal-looklng NJ. D., at the foot Of the
table, with nose as sharp as his own
lancet leaving out, of course, excep-
tlonal cases, like that of a man swal-
lowing fishbone, or dropping suddenly
INTO fit, where there's no choice but
to seek the nearest aid. What ask is,
how do people como 10 trust their lives
| deliberately IN inexperienced hands +?
What's the philosophy Of 1t"
Popular ignorance, probably sug-
gested one.
Or check in the youugster,' another
hinted.
it's mostly luck, 1 think, remarked
the chair, whereon had convcrged q
number Of inquiring looks.
Come doctor, give US your oxper-
ience on the point was moved and
seconded.
Mine was case OF pure luck said
he.
Won't you tell US about lltP we
cntreated.
DR.. Cupps was not the man to refuse.
Young men nowadays he began,
'enter the profession with other adyan-
tagcs than we old fellows had. The
public hospitals, now accessible to
students, afford the opportunity to learn
much by observation, which we were
left 10 find out through experiments
upon our own patients.
Though I took my degree after a
creditable examination, l doubt II L
could then have distinguished, by in
spectiou, between the incIpient. Had l
been called to treat simple case OF
Rheumatism, ten to one / should have
found verdict of whlteswelling, aud
passed sentence Of amputation, with
out stopping to ask stages Of chicken.
, pox and measles, the victim what be
had to say against it. My first patient
was Percy Popman, young man who
had inherited splendid constitution, as
well 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 there
abouts, but for bis absence on distant
call.
. Come quick, BIZ = urged the mes.
, senger; Mr.. Percy's taking on at an
I awful rate
I without staying to inquire further L
snatched my hat and sailed forth, quite
T forgetting, in excitement, the new pill
bags wherein was stored my stock oi
8 simples,
4 Iarnyed to find my patient taking
en- at an awful rate sure enough.
. Poker in hand, he was laying about
. him in manner highly detri mental to
. the furniture. He was killing snakes,
9 he said. Had 1t been dogs, hydro.
phobia might have been nay diagnosis;
!. but snakes, 1 knew, meant delirlum
s tremens. Aud such was the decision
= of Mr.. Tspham's own more practical
8 Judgment, for, turning toward me IN a
lucid moment.
u I've got 'em, Doc he said.
g 4 did my best 10 calm hun, assured
l. him should bring him round, placing
. my fingers on his pulse, and began to
count the beats, but, dsrting FROM me,
he exclaimed:
There goes the biggest snake yet
. the old serpent of all!' making = slash
u with the poker that caused me to dodge
= into the corner.
II Leaving two 10 watch him, and &C.
:, cempanied by the man who bad sum
moncd me, hurried home To procure
!. such remedies as should conclude the
!. case required--a point, must confess,
: was very far from clear upon. l had
!. been reared in very temperate com
:, munity, had seen little Of intoxcation
) or its effects, and my reading had no
!, borne specially in that direction.
!. Before reaching my Office, however
A I decided what course to take. There
vas no time To consult books. Besides
I was ashamed to do that in the pres
ence OF the man, who waited to carr,
d back the physic. He would have taker
Q II for a confession OF ignorance, an'
}, would have lost no time In proclaim
i iug me Ounce.
:. sOverhaaling my supply OF drugs ant
taking little from every one. 1 pro
duoed q mixture, some element o
wb;ch 7 haDed might provo ol service