Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-04-18
The Child Died.
Meals State Gazette.

@TIl make that doctor give.you some
i medicine" said the amiable Kate
4 Carnes to the first prattiing babe of is
months, as it jostled around the physi-
cIan who sat unconscious OF its pres
ence while scrutinizing and analyzing
with all the powers of his eoneenfra-
ton the threatening compIicstior,s OF
' a seriously sick young husband. The
child wassimpressed The manner OF
the mother indicated Misrepresentation,
and pointed to the family physician as
IAN lnfiictor of punishment, and to
/ medicine as means Of its infiiction,
iDr what the child was impressed with
constituted its mistakes The hus-
binds sickness was protrscted; the
doctors visits continued, and the
threats OF the doting mother repeated.
The child grew timid while in the
presence Of the doctor. then shy, then
| distant, then agitated, then retiring,
and finally fled at his approach. Its
! chubby face was no longer ut his elbow
to soften and bring forth the very best
emotions OF his nature as he turned
from the critical examination of his
patient 10 rest his mind for moment
ON something lovely, innocent and
cheerful The husband slowly con-
valesced, gained strength and was dis
missed.
One week passed away, and the sum-
mons came to the doctor to visit the
child, who but short time before had
been taught to regard him as a mon
ster. His arrival was announced and
the child, knowing itself to be the oo-
Jert OF his visit, was hall frantic. An
effort was made to examine its pulse.
The rate was guessed at 170 per min
ute, but the doctor did not know
whether the increased frequency was
the result OF disease or of fright. The
ear was applied to the chest, but the
cries of the child drowned all respira-
tory sounds, both normal and abnor-
NAL. The physiognomy was confused
ly gaZed at, but the countenance OBJ
liberated all index to disease there
The doctor turned to its young moth
er, who had just begun to realize her
sad mistake, and asked for informa-
ton, but in her confusion she could
give but little The nature of the
disease was necessarily guessed at and
Il random prescription made. An eff
fort at an examination at the next visit
resulted in no better success. The
child grew worse from day to day and
us the strength of its tiny frame gave
way it became more and more APP
proachable by all save the doctor.
Another physician was called in, III
the hope that the child would regard
him as IL human being and that he
might be able to communicate the !
symptoms to the attending physician;
but the moment he placed his fingers |
on the wrist to examine its pulse the !
thought OF doctor" flashed into its !
mind, and fear and trepidation con-
vulSed its every muscle. The mother |
was distressed beyond measure; the
doctors were completely nonplusscd |
and the child died.
When the terrible struggle was over.
and mother and doctors sat down to
on the cause of death, the
echo came reverberating with all the
solemnity of the tomb: IN make
that doctor gHe you some medicine"
1t Is needless To say that Kate Carnes
ever afterwards taught her children
hat doctors were angels of mercy,
going about doing good to the suffer
ng, rather than executioners to infict
for the supposed mistakes
Df childhood.