The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-06-19
THE HUMAN IMAGINATION.
The Part it Plays in Matters Involving
Life and Death.

Don't great many people procure
medical treatment who are not sick?"
asked reporter of the Detroit Post OF
prominent physician.
"Of course they do. There's nothing
the matter with half the so-called inva-
lids. 1 always kept big batch of
bread pills made up for that class of
patients. Many one I've got out OF
bed with that sham medicine, and they
thought me man OF profound learn
ing and skill"
"They just imagine they are sick?"
"Certs.inlyl A woman is the contra
REST of Gods creatures. If she makes
up her mind she is sick, you can't talk
her out of it. You must adj
minister something. L had one call
me years ago that lay in bed for nine
months, and she was as well as am.
On q certain day there was one of these
circus and animal show combinations
passing. / had an inspiration that
beat any compound my skill could pro-
duce. l hired the manager to let
tame bear out of the cage and We all set
up hue and a cry, and the children
went for the woods, and that woman
took after them without even stopping
to make her toilet. There was nothing
under the heavens the matter with her,
and when her husband came to settle L
| thought for while he'd boot her all
over the farm"
Ever have any other case of magma
ton? ?"
"Lots of them. A big hulking fellow
about ten miles from the town 1 was
practicing in got the idea that he was
going to die just at IL o'clock in
the forenoon of certain day. About
9 o'clock messenger came for me. L
hurried out. When l got there the crank
had fifteen minutes to live according to
his calculations. He did look like a
man on the verge of eternity. His eyes
were dim and sunken, his face had that
peculiar pallor which heralds the near
approach of death, and his breathing
was very labored. The family were
gathered around and weeping as they
took final leave. Something had to
be done quick. There was smart look
ing woman there, and called her aside.
Pointing to the clock on the mantle
piece, which the patient was watching.
l said: when l have his attention,
| turn that ahead Then / crowded into
the family group, hustled them into the
next room. sat down on the edge OF the
bed, and began telling that fellow one
of the most horrible murder stories you
ever heard. l located 1t right in the
town where he know everybody, named
the woman killed, went into blood
curdling details, and so completely inter-
ested the man that he forgot about his III
o'clock appointment. When gave HIM
chance to look again it was twenty min
utes to II and he was actually mad for q
time, claiming that he had been tricked.
He finally got to laughing, and we all
took dinner together. The next day he
whipped two men at barn raising for
twitting him about the programme OF
death that miscarried."
wasn't there anything the matter
with him ?"
"Not thing except what he imagined
He was sound rs bullet but If L had
not adopted that ruse he would have
gone over to the majority at IL o'clock.
LUIS oO4ASeAA4SS
people who are really Ill 2"
"To be sure it does. Imagination
has a strange and unaccountabie power.
had funny incident that answers
your inquiry. There was a giddy
young widow called at my Office one
day. She was q hitv-tity creature.
Talked ali Che time she was
awake, you know, and had as
much laugh as she had talk. She
wasn't very clipper when she came,
however. She was on crutches and ac-
companied by a solicitous companion
VINO was brim full of sympathy. The
invalid had knee badly swollen from
rheumatism and wanted to know II L
could administer electricity which al
ways helped her. l soon had battery
in shape. fhe sympathetic friend
placed one connection at the lnvallds
knee, which appeared angrily inflamed:
/ held the other connection IN my lett
hand so as to complete the circuit by
touching the patient with the right. l
drew my finger across the back OF her
neck and of course she INDUCED IN
few little screams and some hysterlcal
conversation. doctor, that's strange
sensation. Ouch haven't got enough?
My knee feels a great deal better. Don't
fill me up with that electricity. There,
now, you must just quit, I've got a
whole streak o lightning in me now and
knew it was all l needed" The pretty
widow walked QUITO her carriage without
limp. and had no trouble in being the
belle of the balls for the remainder OF
the season. / had noticed wagglsh
student of mine in the next room stuff
ing handkerchiefs in his mouth. wrlth-
ing with suppressed laughter, looking
at me on the sly, and lndulging IN
can can whenever visible to me alone.
"'What in thunder are you making
such fool of yourself about L lnquir-
ed when the ladies had departed. He
roared away, and, pointing to the bat
terry, said: You might have killed that
handsome creature by an overcharge OF
electricity 1 looked and Joined IN the
hilarity. I had neglected to hitch on TO
the battery, and the widows vivid mag
ination had supplied the currents which
wrought so sudden cure.