Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-05
THE IMAGINATIOS.
The Part 1t Plays In Matters i"v"'V"s
Life and Death,

Don't a great many people procure
medical treatment who are not SICK!
asked reporter of The Detroit foSt OF
prominent physician.
.Of course they do. There's nothing
the matter with half the so-called in-
valids. | 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!
Certainly! A woman is the contra
riest of Gods creatures. If she makes
up her mind she's sick, you can talk
her out of it. You must administer
something. had one call me years
ago that lay in bed for nine months,
and she was as well as | am. On a
certain day there was one of these cir
Gus and animal show combinations
passing. | had an inspiration that
beat any compound my skill could pro-
duce. | hired the manager to let a
tame bear out of the cage and we all
set up hue and cry, the children went
for the woods, and that woman took
after them without even stopping to
make a toilet. There was nothing un-
der the heavens the matter with her,
and when her husband came to settle
thought for while he'd boot her all
over the farm"
"Ever have any other case of the
Imagination"
Lots of then. A big hulking fellow
about ten miles from the town | was
practicing in got the idea that he was
going to die just at IL o'clock in the
forenoon of certain day. About 8
clock a messenger came for ME. |
hurried out. When | got there the
crank had fifteen minutes to live ac-
cording to his calculations. He did
look like man on the verge of eterni-
ty. His eyes were dim and sunken,
his face had that peculiar pallor which
heralds the near approach OF death,
aud his breathing was very labored.
The family were gathered around and
weeping as they took final lea, e.
Something had to be done quick.
here was smart-looking woman
there, and called her aside. Pointing
to the clock on the mantelpiece, which
the patient was watching. | said:
| When | have his attention, turn that
ahead Then l 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 it right in the
town where he knew everybody,
named the woman killed. went into
blood-curdling details, and SO complete
| " interested the man that he forgot
about his IL o'clock appointment.
When l gave him chance to look
again it was twenty minutes to II, and
he was actually mad for time, claim
| inc that he had been tricked. He fl
nally got to laughing, and we all took
dinner together. The next day he
whipped two men at barn-raising fol
twitting him about the programme oi
death that miscarried.
Wasn't there anything the matter
with him."
Not a thing except what he imag'
ined. He was sound as bullet, but il
had not adopted that ruse he would
have gone over to the majority at II
O'Clock"
Doesn't Imagination sometimes cure
people who are really lll?'
ITO be sure it does. Imagination
has a strange and unaccountable
| power. | had funny incident thai
answers your inquiry. There was 8
giddy young widow called at my offict
one day. She was a hity-tity creature
Talked all the time she was awake
YOU know, and had as much laugh a:
| she had talk. She wasn't very chippel
| when she came, however. She was or
crutches aud accompanied by sole
| itious companion who was brim full o
sympathy The invalid had knes
badly swollen from rheumatism anC
wanted to know if could administer
electricity, which always helped her.
soon had a battery in shape. The
sympathetic friend placed one con.
nection at the invalid's knee. which
appeared angrily inhamed. l held the
other connection in my left hand so as
to complete the circuit by touching the
| patient with the right. drew my fin
ger across the back of her neck and OF
course she indulged in a few little
screams and some hysterical conversa-
ton. doctor. that's strange sensa-
ton. Ouch! haven't l got enough?
My knee feels great deal better.
Don't fill me up with that electricity.
There, now you must just quit, I've
got whole streak o lightning in me
now and knew it was all | needed. y
The pretty widow walked out to her
carriage without limp, and had no
trouble in being the belle of the balls
for the remainder of the season. / had
noticed a waggish student of mine in
the next room stuffing handkerchiefs in
his mouth, writhing with suppressed
laughter, winking at me on the sly.
and indulging in can-can whenever
visible to me alone.
What in thunder are you making
such a fool of yourself about, l in
quired when the ladies had departed.
He roared away, and, pointing to
the battery. said, You might have
killed that handsome creature by an
overcharge of electricity l looked
and joined in the hilarity. l had neg
lected to hitch on to the battery, and
the widow vivid imagination had sup
piled the currents which wrought so