The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-01-03
An INTERESTING PATIENT.

AN INTERESTING PATIENT, r. 1
Two men sat in pleasant room in
eitv boarding house, chatting contiden
6ailg. 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
stropr friendship existed that had
Epown no jar or break. DR.. Wilfred
Atkinson was Western man, coming
from Illinois; while DR.. Frederick Read
claimed New England town for his
birthplace.
1t was Fred Read who said:
eYou will accept this offer?'
eAccept it?'' cried his friend. ''I
should think so. tits what 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.
YES, know all that; but twill be
yery con6ning. [ think | prefer gem
eral practice, after all. But you may
expect to see ME often. How l shall
miss you, old fellow p st ,is.-
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, = hes
urged, in parting from his friend; 'tand
il 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
10 roam about inside the walls are
harmless. Some of them are absolutely
sane on every point but one; touch that,
and off they go. 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 thenl-whew -
Il shau come over often andhear the
results of your experience. My enor-
nous practice takes about three hours
aday.h
In pursuance of this promise DR..
Read took the train about once a week.
and spent an hour or two with his
iiriend finding him generally busy, as
hls duties included a general superin-
Iendence OF the asylum and details that
we're quite independent of professional
work. Still, he took it all as part of
his new life, and gave his mind as fully
bordering groceries and towels as he
ad to writing prescriptions and study
ing cases. 5tTss
But Fred, as he became familiar with
me place, began to share his friends
mterestiin the study of mental disorders
and would often spend hours roaming
through the wards and grounds with
only few words to DIR. Atkinson.
hwas when June was young and the
Mf sott and pleasant that. DR.. Read,
IsaIrolllng about in the prettiest part of
ne egrounds, saw a 3ady in summer
heuse whose face attracted him at once.
nwasaVery pale face and the large
usrK eyes We're languid, while the
aenuer hgure seemed weak as if from
recent Illness. But it was, too, beau
.lal young face, shaded by waving
pIOwn hair, and with purely oval out
lae and regular features.
II a new patient;'' was Fred's mental
us@Ismation. ~ ''What lovely facer'
II Anehhe sauntered over to the sum-
4 u; NJ mousse and spoke to the lady. To
Y CONSERVATION, she started, gave a
4 W Sa,cA, gasplng sob and tainted. Itwas
y. very long insensibility, and under
NY ~ Y aulek treatment the large eyes
4 'psaea, and she whispered:
H. am so sorry to trouble you!
ss,.is.54 Il, aaYe been very i'll, and you
n..i Was very much to blame," he said,
0alently, land hope you will par
su NE, Are you well enough nowfor
4 sine?n W 'iio nouse ior glass OF
lep am well enough, but do not need
n.. sne she sat up again and took up
nm nm y heetlie work that had dropped
a hs,.k,ner I ner hands. Her fingers still
norso. nnolea. and a pretty flush came
asnt aa, INTO her pale face, as she said:
an.s s you one of the physicians herep"
H.. oaly by courtesy he replied. 81
IiD's IS's sne run of the place; but DR.. At
SssOa S,so Is the physician. Old DR.. Hare
EnILsS j mead doctor, but he does very
bitsss,I Les | know! 1t is lovely place.
md e sh Out here, mean! Inside,''
oitsD sae s shuddered, 1.-The sounds are
4 thossSxtI sSxtIeiatdful, But the doctor at home
iOr %ns vs. change of air would be good
gS.nd Se and 50 mamma sent me here
@Poor rI;ge r.s, OF airF' thought Fred.
oihet E nge thing Quite UNCONSCIOUS
eussiDr ne n ehatted away with her. dis
grounSs 'ae @ weather, the beauty of the
trees ssa. rs songs of the -biI ds in the
drifting Shq ~ them. and SO gradually
Opiniog % books, to comparisons Of
H ana criticism. And all THROUGH.