Frostburg mining journal., 1883-10-27
When Doctors Disa-
gree.
gree.
New York Medical Record.

New " ork Medical RECORD.
He stood by the bedside counting the
pulse, counting the respirations. The
patient was in advanced life, and was
suffering from hroncho-pneumonia.
"One hundred and sixl" was the excla-
nation; respiration thirty-six, an in
crease over last evening of ten pulsa-
tions and six respirations. Some slight
ividity of the extremities of the fingers.
Hearts action little irregular" DIR.
Blank shook his head obviously. Mrs.
Brown is not so well to-day" A cloud
passed aver his countenance as he spoke
these words; it was noticed by Jane,
Thomas, and Susan. A gloomy silence
followed. The Cammann binaural tube
was applied to different parts of the
thorax. Subcrepitant ronchi every
where; small bubbling at the bases.
"There is extensive consolidation" he
said; "this dull region is stuffed with
the products of Inflammation. 1t is
hard tug for breath with the old lady"
The supreme cortical cells of DIR.
Blanks cerebrum were evolving this
thought: "This patient will die; / shall
lose prestige in consequence; | shall
lose the patronage of this family"
What shall he do about treatment?-
The digitalis does not seem to be
working we'll; there is nausea. The
squills, senega, and ipecac do not pro-
mote expectoration. There is pain in
the head, and he fears that it is caused
by the quinine and whisky. In doubt
and uncertainty he tells them to put
these medicines on one side, and writes
o prescription for some carbonate of
ammonia. He directs full doses of this
medicament, and then, after starting
for home, in his hesitation comes back
and advises the family to give only half
the dose prescribed. With heavy
heart, which his countenance too plainly
shows, he bids the Browns good-morn-
ing.
What are Thomas and the Brown
girls thinking about at this time? "This
man is fairly discouraged. He has
done all he can. He has no confidence
in his medicines. He has made COM
plete change, and now is doubtful about
the result of the change. He evidently
thinks mother is going to die. Mother,
too, is discouraged. 1t is time to try
somebody else"
DIR. Blank had hardly arrived home
that morning when q messenger brought
note from the Browns, stating that
they had made change; that DIR.
Blank might consider this note note
of dismissal; thas DR.. Bluff would now
take charge of the case.
DR.. Bluff was not in any sense sci
entific man, nor had he any skill in the
selection of his remedies. He stole
good many useful hints from members
of the faculty and young graduates,
with whom he now and then held con-
sultations land with whom he always
agreed), but his diagnosis was hap
hazard and his treatment was hap
hazard. He drove fast horses, and
would bluster like an English country
squire. All this gave him great popu-
larity. Individuals had been heard to
say that they would rather have Bluffs
presence in sick-room, if he did moth
ing more than talk slang, and tell them
that they would be able to dance a
polka in few days. than have the most
scientific college professor who would
give them nauseous medicines, and tell
them that their sickness was of very
grave nature.
DIR. Bluff was ushered into the room
of the sick Mrs. Brown. The diagnosis
and the fearful representations of poor
Dr. Blank were turned to ridicule.
There was nothing the matter with Mrs.
b. only "a little stuffing" in the chest
He would clear out those pipes in less
than no time" Whisky and milk and
his white emulsion of ammoniacum was
all that was necessary. Ia less than
half an hour the vocabulary of banter
and current slang was exhausted. The
sick woman was daisy" blooming
rose of Sharon" and ''gay old gal"
She had not "got through her sparkling"
yet, and "if the present Mrs. Bluff,
should ever be taken off he would JIM
prove his opportunity" etc. AS for
dying fiddlesticks she cannot die
with that pulse" He wo;lld shave her
out of that bed scrubbing the kitchen
floor before week."
It is needless to say that the Browns
were all delighted with the assurance
and the jocoseness of their new family
physician, whose encouraging words
rallied them to renewed efforts to pro-
long their parents existence by often
repeated potions of whisky and milk.
1t is worthy of note, too, that the
patient herself for a while felt the in
vigorating stimulus of new hope.
Although the final result was as Blank
predicted, yet there always was feel.
ing on the part of the Browns that if
Bluff had been called little earlier the
result would have been different.
TAILORLNG TODAY
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