Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-03-31
The Doctors story.

We were knot or doctors, enjoying
ourselves after meeting of the Hlppocratic
Medical Society, whose members were ac-
customsd to assemble once a year for pur-
poses of mutual edification and improve
ment. DR.. G.len Cupps was in the chair.
He was our Nestor, our old man eloquent,
living professional legendary budget. On
his face you could read Entertainment"
as plainly as you saw 1t painted 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 refreshment as the tired way
farer halts before the inviting signboard
waving hospitable welcome to the cheer
within.
Genial DR.. Cupps! Like Father Grimes,
that other good old man, ''we'n never see
him any 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,
fear, have money to spend in that way.
GLOW do young doctors, as a rule, get
their start 7" queued cynical-looking n.
d. at the foot of the table, with nose as
sharp as the tip of his own lancet-'leav-
ing out, of course, exceptional cases, like
that Of a man swallowing fish-bone, or
dropping suddenly into fit, where there
is no choice but to seek the nearest aid.
What asks, how do people come to trust
their lives deliberately in inexperienced
hands? What's the philosophy OF it 2"
popular ignorance, probably, suggested
one
"Or cheek In the youngster," another
limited.
'1t's mostly tuck, think" remarked
the chair, whereon had converged num-
Der of inquiring looks
"Cone, doctor. gives us your ex-
penence on the point was seconded and
carried.
milne was a case of pure luck" sad
he.
"Won't you tell US about 1t ?" we en-
treated.
DR.. Cupps was not the man to refuse.
''Young men :now-a days." he began;
'entcr 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 ,0e were left to find
out through experiments on our patients.
"Though l took my degree after a
creditable examination, doubt if could
then have distinguished, by inspection, be-
TWEEN the lncipient stages of chicken -pox
and measles. Had l been called to treat a
simple case of rheumatism, ten to one |
should have found a verdict of white
swelling, and passed sentence of amputa-
ton without stopping to ask the victim
what ne had to say against It, My first
patient was Percy 1opham. young man
who had inherited splendid constitution
i.s well as fortune, but was fast making
way with both. The case, no doubt, would
have fallen in Dingo's hands, for he mon.
opolized the practice thereabout, but for his
absence on distant call.
"Come quick, srl" urged the messcn-
ger; Mr.. Percy'staklng on at an awful
ate
Without staying to inquire further,
snatched my hat and 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 about
him in manner highly detrimental to the
furniture. He was killing snakes, he said.
Had it been dogs, hydrophibia mi ght have
been my diagnosis; but snakes I knew,
meant dettrt0np trenaens. And such was
the decision of Mr.. Tophaln's own more
| practiced judgmentfor, turning toward me.
in lucid moment:
'Ive got 'em, Doc, he said.
81 did my best to calm him, assured him
I should bring him around, placed my fn-
4 .rara o,, bic n4,Ico opd hoc-oD IN cO11Df fho