The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-08
AN INTERESTING PATIENT.


Two men sat in pleasant room in a
city boarding house, chatting contiden-
TALLY. Both were young, somewhere
between twenty-five and thirty, and
both were enthusiastic students of the
noble profession of medicine. They
had become intimate at college, and a
strong friendship existed that had
known no jar or break. DR.. Wilfred
AtkiDgan was Western man, coming
from illinois; while DIR. Frederick Read
claimed New England town for his
birthplace.
1t was Fred Read who said:
"You will accept this offer?"
''Accept it?" cried his friend. '1
should think so. 1t is what I want most
in the world You see, have always
been more interested in the study of in
sanity than in any other form of dis
ease, and to be resident physician in an
asylum, where have only made weekly
visits, gives me opportunity for study
that | could never have elsewhere.
Eyes. l know all that; but it will be
very combining. / think | prefer gen.
eral practice, after all, But you may
cADCCI w SCC lllC OlUCIls 11OM L ollGlll
miss YOU, old fellow ~
And then the talk drifted into other
channels, until DR.. Atkinson discovered
that it was time for his train to L,
where his new home and field of duty
lay.
"You will come over often" he
urged, in parting from his friend; "and
if | am busy or away, make yourself at
home. The grounds are large, and very
pleasant, and if you meet any of the
patients, be sure those who are allowed
to roam about inside the walls are
harmless. Some of them are absolutely
sane on every point but one; touch that,
and off they 60. But the eyes tell the
story"
''Yes; it is hard TO hide it there"
''And contradiction brings out the
truth. AS long as the delusions are
humored they are generally amiable
enough; but once cross them-whew y
81 shall come over often and hear the
results of your experience. My enor-
nous practice takes about three hours
a day"
In pursuance of this promise DIR.
Read took the train about once a week
and spent an hour or two with his
friend, finding him generally busy, as
his duties included a general superin-
tendence of the asylum and details that
were quite independent of professional
work. Still, he took it all as part OF
his new life, and gave his mind as fully
to ordering groceries and towels as he
did to writing prescriptions and study
ing cases.
But Fred, las he became familiar with
the place, began to share his friend s
interest in the study ofmental disorders
and would often spend hours roaming
through the wards and grounds with
only few words to DR.. Atkinson.
1t was when June was young and the
air soft and pleasant that DR.. Read,
strolling about in the prettiest part OF
the grounds, saw lady in a summer
house whose face attracted him atonce
1t was very pale face and the large
dark eyes were languid, while the
slender figure seemed weak as if from
recent illness. But it was, too, beau
tiful young face, shaded by waving
brown hair, and with purely oval out.
line ana regular features.
"a new patient was Fred's mental
exclamation. "What lovely facet
Then be sauntered over to the sum.
mer house and spoke to the lady. Tc
his CONSERVATION, she started, gave g
quick, gasping sob and tainted twas
not very long insensibilitv, and under
Fred's quick treatment the large eyes
opened, and she whispered:
80, | am so sorry to trouble YOU
But | have been very ill, and you
startled me-"
81 was very much to blame" he said,
penitently, land l hope you will par
don me. Are you well enough now fo1
me to run up to the house for glass OF
wine?"
81 am well enough, but I do not need
IT.; and she sat up again and took up a
piece of needle work that had dropped
from her hands. Her fingers Still
trembled, and pretty flush came q
moment into her pale face, as she said
''Are you one ofthe physicians here?''
"Only by courtesy" he replied. 81
have the run of the place; but Dr. AT,
kinson is the physician. Old Dr. Hare
is the head doctor, but he does very
little"
eyes, l know! 1t is lovely place
is it not? Out here, L mean! inside
and she shuddered, ''the sounds are
often dreadful. But the doctor at homo
thought a change of air would be gooC
for me, and so mamma sent me here. ,
''Change of air!'' thought Fred
Poor little thing. Quite unconsciou,
of her infrmity."
And he chatted away with her. dis
cussing the weather, the beauty of tn,
grounds. the songs of the birds in tn,
trees around them, and so gradual,
drifting to books, to comparisons O
opinion and criticism. And all through
delightful hour Fred vainly tried t.
discover the one point upon which tn,
new patient was insane. Whatever i
was, it eyaded him and he looked a
vainly for any wandering or vacancy il
the soft brown eyes that met his own
full of Intelligence.
They were still conversing when on,
of the nurses came down the path lead
ing to the summer house.