Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-10-27
LETTERS TO A COUNTRY DOCTOR

LETTERS III A COUNIhI DOCIOhs
For the last three or four years l have
been making collection of the curious
or quaint letters sent to me by my poorer
patients, and though, from the nature
all that is written, l will, with your
permission, give some extracts from
them, which will tend to afford some
information as to the photography and
modes of expression in common use by
some of the rural inhabitants of Hertford-
shire. The extracts are copied literally
from the originals, and are absolutely
correct, except as regards the names,
which are, for obvious reasons, dis
guised.
The knowledge of anatomy exhibited
in the following is very poor:
"My cough is som better, but when i
cough it causes awful pain on the left
side of the stomock below the hip.
have aploide letseed poultes."
A deeper insight into anatomical de-
tails is shown by the person who wrote:
II feel very full at the chest where
the digestive organs lie, especially after
meals"
Another writes most emphatically:
''if you pleas sir would you be so kind
has to send me hay bottle of meadson,
for hi have got such hay pain hay cross
my stickamat."
The next extract Is very quaint:
Ito Mr.. Blank, Surgent. plese sir
write beeing unable to come myself feel
ing so tirde and ill. cannot rest any
where such coffeing and soriness and be-
numbfells and trembling with much
weekning."
The patient evidently meant to say
that she had feelings of numbness with
much weakness.
More explicit was the poor woman
who wrote:
~ have such bad crying stericks witch
causes me such pains in my chest and
heart makes me feel very weak"
The next example shows that the per-
son who wrote it had conquered the diff
culties of photography, but had very
confused idea of the use Of prOnOuns:
MRS. Johnson's head Is little better;
when put my arm out straight there is
such a tingling in my thumb, but her
medicine makes me feel sick" ~Ne
A poor man came to the surgery one
day, and, fearing he would be unable to
see me personally to explain his symp-
toms, had written the following letter
which he handed 10 me, as happened
I'd be disengaged: - ~
''Sir you gave me bottle of medicine
about tree weeks ago for my cold at the
chest and the small of the back. My
cold was begingeing to come out of me
nicely, but ! could not see you the next
time. l feel little stuff up at the chest
as if little fem wants looseing; sir,
my kind thanks to you for a mother
bottle"
The following patient had evidently
tried to cure himself before applying to
his medical man; he writes:
"Will you be kind enough to send me
something to ease very sad pain in
my inside, for have beign suffering
since yesterday at noon. l have had
brandy and whisky and several things
but nothing don't give me any relefe.
The latter part of the next letter re-
minds me of the famous lines in Mac
beth: eff it were done, when tbs done,
then 'twere well it were done quickly"
''Mrs. Stone wanted your opinion as
to whether anything could be done for
MIN Dy SeHulnp nin away anyWncTe,
she would be glad if anything could be
done, to have it done, if you thought it
could be done"
Very affecting is the following eTstle,
received from u poor woman whose
husband was in extremis:
"SIR: My poor dear husband is SO
much worse, his poor harm is in such
dreadful pain and SO swollen. Coud you
doc anything to ease him, and his tongue
is coated dreadful, and i cannot get any
food down him. l am broke for Lini-
ment and medcson, do cindly come as
soon as possible from you Respectfully.
ter j. WATERS.
AS is also the following: 'He was
taken with sinking and guddy feel,
aud we thought be would die for hour
or two" IS - nruru' Hn
tits very gratifying to a medical man
to hear that a patient is better, and that
he attributes the good result to- his doc