Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-07-18
AQUACK's MISTAKE.



zion That Did Not work.
A party of men sat in the Southern
Hotel last week telling stories. one OF
the number was young doctor, who Us a
resident physician at the Pennsylvania
Hospital and had just re:uined from 4
vacation trip to the caves of Luray.
When it came his turn to tell story
which was supposed to be founded on
an incident in his own experience, he
said:
81 am too young in the profession to
give you any staltling experience OF my
own, but can relate curious incident
that occurred in Virginia during my
visit. 1t happened n Rockbridge coun-
ty. not many miles from Lexington, and
was told to me by thoroughly reputa-
bic and veracious citizen. "A few weeks
ago. he said, a long-baired individual
drove into town and engaged two rooms
in the leading hotel. That night he
visited the local printing Cfice aud TIE
next morning the town was Hooded
with dodgers announcing the arrival OF
DIR. Surecurc, who guaranteed 70 cure all
cases of consumption by his Cret and
improved compressed air treatment.
was curious to know what the treatment
consisted of and called on the doctor
the next day. In the meantime he had
constructed small. air-tight conpart-
ment in corner of his Office. When i
arrived he was adjusting a pump-llke
arrangement to brass-bound hole in
one of the partitions ofthe compartment
| When he had finished his work he turn
ed to me and said: "Now, sir, an
ready for work. .ts...
"I exp blamed to him that was not
con sumptive, but had simply called tC
Investigate his method of treatment ou
of curiosity. He was very 'ulhane anC
ccommoGating. He explained to m'
in scientific language that consumption
was simply collapse and drying up o
the air cells of the lungs and that th'
lonly thing needed to restore the breath
ling apparatus to its normal state wa
| the opening of these cells.
."This sounded reasonable enough b
me and asked him how he was goln
10 bring about this result "By com
nressed air." he said, slapping his pain
laJaipst his chest. Compressed air
the onlv sovereign remedy for consumI
ltion.n He then showed me the alr-tlgh
compartment, which was lined wit
plates O. tin, and explained that the az
naratus on the outside was an alr-pumI
! HIS treatment was simple ana conslste
of placing the patient In the compar
ment, into which would be injected a .el
D tian number of cubic feet OF pure al
D The air would force its way into Ut
:. cells of the lungs and initiate them as
: bladder is inflated by gull. IN
+ treatment, he argued, if continued lor
e enough, would restore the diseased iuni
a TO their normal condition.
. "SThe doctor had hardly finished b
lexposition before young man, with u
seal of the fell disease stamped In b
s,,nken cheeks ard hollow eyes, ente
ed. He told the doctor that he wantt
dose of compressed air. The doct
conducted him 10 the adjoining roo
n and told him to divest himself OF ever
,e thing with the exception of his unde
pr shirt. In ihe interval the doctor thre
nm eyery window in the room to adu
NJ the fresh air and asked me to wait to S
1, the thing work. The young man "
~ ushered into the compartment and I
,e doctor and myself manned the pun
q, We worked with will for about II
yi ,ir minutes and could hear the wind rush
>" with a shrill whistle. Then we wait
for two minutes and the doctor sal
t"You can bet that air is Initiating
e, lungs like balloon"
ry ".Then he tried to open the door,
Inn jceuldn't bulge it. Then he look
at alarmed aud got me to hell him,
ed our combined strength didn't phaze
on Then we called in a colored porter q
lis our united efforts opened the door W
he a rush and landed us in heap IN
corner. Looking into the compartme
lily we saw a balloon-like, hesh-colo
in object lying on the floor. Hooked
ex, the doctor for an explanation. He
na aIa as white as sheet and looked hike
as sS stricken with the palsy. My God y
me gasped, 81 have adjusted the pump
exhaust the air." and. slammiEg
eir door shut, ne hastily made some alt
ssnt IN. ton in the mechanism of the pump
ate ats together we worked the handle until
me were compelled to stop from sheer
ng- haustion. When be opened the q
l(this time with easel the patients b
had returned to about its normal
and he had recovered consciousn
He was sent home in carriage and
ans a few days later. The affair bee
ing noised ABOUT, however, and the do