The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-12-26


Lucznkzvs Rrae<tes-
Talking about physic.n said an en-
doctor, reminds me Of an incident that
occurred during my practice when was
new in the cause, and which. when you
hear. you viii readily recognize as an
important epoch in my professional ca
reer- 1t was in country town in the
western part of the State / had Just
arrived few days previous. beardless
boy, with very little hope of getting
patient lunder two years. However.
had gone there to stay, and so had made
up my mind accordingly. l hung out
my shingle and prepared to 90 any,
where at moments notice. One
morning about two o'clock. | was
awakened by some one shouting: 80.
DoctorT at my front gate. / dressed
hastily and went with the stranger, who
proved to be the~father of child three
days old, who, he said, was dying with
spasms. Upon my arrival at the house
| was shown in the sick room. The
young mother lay weeping upon the bed
and the almost lifeless form of the prec-
ieus little one was being fondly nursed
by an old woman, who said the child
had just had another severe fit. l was
puzzled. 1t was my first case, and /
readily recognized that my future repu-
tation depended on the recovery of the
child, but what to do for it | knew no
more than ten-year-old boy. Finally
L made up my mind, prepared some
simple dose and told the parents the
child would have no more spasms, which
of course was guess work. This did not
satisfy them. | could see in their faces
that they lacked confidence, but | was
firm. Ny word was out, and so stood
to it and left. The father followed me
to the door and said he wanted me to
come around the next day and meet his
old family physician, as he thought /
was two young, and the child needed
medical attention from more expo
rieneed practitioner. |. of course,
agreed, but at the same time felt that
my reputation was forever gone if the old
doctor should come and tell them the
child was really sick. l went home,
but could not sleep, and as soon as
breakfast was over hurried over to see
my patient. The father met me 1t the
door. He looked cheerful and gave me
hearty greeting. The baby is all
right, said he; and sure enough when
went in the little fellow was as bright
as May morning, and my reputation
was made. The parents praised me as
the best baby-doctor known, and from
that time on enjoyed splendid prac-
tice among the little ones. The news of
my wonderful case spread for miles
around, and two days afterwards l was
called to see another child, some twelve
miles distant. The child had been sick
for several weeks and under the treat
ment OF an old white-haired practitioner.
The father of this child informed me,
while en- route to his house. that was
called in because he had heard of the
wonderful cure effected in the case of
MIR. SIS baby. This rather unnerved
me. for he told me that DIR. -, from
an adjoining town, whom l knew to be
an eminent physician, had failed to ben
eft the little one. As soon as saw tho
patient, at once detected that the angel
OF death was lowering near, ard all
earthly power would be of no avail; but
still did dot at once inform the parents.
They had confidence in ME, and dis
liked to dispel their good opinion, SO
set about to prescribe for the patient,
but before l had taken out my medicine
the baby was attacked with a severe
spasm. and its little soul took its flight
to another and better world. So Won
can readily see how my reputation was
again saved by a spasm. Had the child
fingered along and died, WHICH it surely
would have done in day or SO, they
would have said / did not treat Il
properly.
This, continued the ex-doetor, ais
simply told you to show some of the diff
ficulties met with by young doctors
when they first start out A young pro-
fessional man has poor chance at best
in this unchartable world. The incl
dents just related were providential
epochs in my career, and ever afterward
l had lucrative practice, until fail
ure of health caused me to seek more
congeuial field of labor Nashville
Banner.