Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1882-02-25
\ CASE THAT MADE A NAME.

faa
YWhat was the most interesting case
. IN your long experience, Doctor?"
: ItwaS NJ little entertainment given |
In honor of Doctor Tourniquet's retire
- ment from practice-an event we young |
Z er aspirants felt inclined to celebrate |
with no small satisfaction-that the
foregoing question was put to the guest
Of the evening.
al think" said the old gentleman,
after moments reflection, and casting
: fatberly look upon us through his
gold-rimmed spectacles, "about the
most interesting case | ever had was the
e first" 81
"Would you mind relatingit?"
"Not at all. Whatever secret there
once was about it, all reason for keep
ing it has long since ceased.
ats now nearly fifty years." he con-
tinued, ''since l presumed to settle
down here and enter into competition
with Old Carver, whose dazzling gilt
sign, emblazonod with his name and
professional designation of PHYSICIAN
AND SURGEON Carmmigeon would
have hit the mark more nearly--had
hitherto enjoyed MONOPOLY of lighting
s fools the way to dusty death
"He never passed me without scowl,
and never spoke of me but with con-
tempt. His evident purpose was to nip
my pretensions in the bud. l should
never have a case, if he could help it.
- 81 came very near getting one in
81 spite of him before long. A poor wretch
had cut his throat, just missing the
carotid artery and severing u number of
important veins.
"a messenger dispatched for Old
2 Carver, not finding him in, had left
Aword for him to come Immediately, and
then, as q makeshift, hurried on for me.
| accompanied him at once, and found
the wounded man so utterly PROSTATE
from the loss of blood that but the faint
est signs of life remained A few drops
of an invigorating cordial, which |
forced him to swallow, partially revived
him; and | was preparing to sew up
and dress the wound, when Old Carver
came busting in and pushed me aside
rudely} OF course, the case was his by
right of being first summoned, and l
could not oppose his taking charge of it,
"a "'Humph!' he grunted, clapping his
fingers on the patients pulse, which had
somewhat risen from the effect of the
cordial-'what have you been doing
here2n
"I gave him restorative [ an
swered.
land threw him into fever!' inter-
rupted Old Carver, without waiting to
hear further.
"Then whipping out his lancet, he
proceeded to deplete the sufferer of what
3 little blood he had remaining.
AN"H trust you're satisfied with your
work. he growled, rs the man gave a
gasp and sank back dead.
81 was about to repol Indignantly the
insinuation that it was at my door the
mans death lay; but the looks and NUT
terings of the crowd admonished me
that my word would weigh but little
against that of the venerable quack, and
that if | would get off with a whole skin,
had better 90 at once.
q :" | lost no opportunity, whenever |
could get q hearing, of relating the true
state of the case, and indicating my
conduct. The restorative, | insisted,
had been absolutely necessary to stimu.
late the tagging vital current, and dem
onstratcd the stupid folly of bleeding a
man already almost bled to DEATH But
the listeners would only shake their
heads and say: doc Carver was a pow.
erful good ledge o. physic, and they
lowed ] couldn't do better'n larn 4
wrinkle or two from him.
"My prospects, which had never risen
much above zero, now sank considera
bly, Iower began to lose heart at last
and was seriously considering the adj
visableness Of giving up the struggle
and leaving the headstrong population
TO Old Carver and their fate, when one
night | received q hurried call to attend
a gentleman who had just had his lee
broken.
"AIr. Soammi Furneval, the individu
RI al referred to, was respectable middle
aged bachelor, for some time bacl
thought to be particularly attentive t
Miss Berenice Potts, maiden lady o
fortune and nearly his own age.