The Washington critic., 1888-05-26
INGERsonL AS A DOCTOR.
a Successful Method of Treatmcn
Peculiarly Ills Own.

Peculiarly His own.
Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll has his
ideas on doctors, and physics, and
medical treatment as we'll as on some
other subjects, and expresses them in
this way in the New York Commercial
Adcortiser!
"There is altogether too much
gloom about most sick chambers" he
said. "People tip-toe. in and about
and wear long faces and act generally
in a way that would make even well
man sick, and is bound to make sick
man worse, / believe many man
has been hurried across the dark
river by his horrible soul-depressing
treatment, who might have become
well and strong and useful If he had
more sunshine and fresh air in his
room, or the odor of flowers to Offset
the smell of the drugs, and smiling,
hopeful countenances about instead
of woebegone visages, whose every
glance betoken the loss of hope and
the belief in the speedy dissolution of
the pain-racked patient.
~ had friend once named Haley,
royal good fellow, of whom /
thought great deal. On one occa-
sion received word that my old
friend was dying and wanted to see
me, so | went over to his house. ]
met his wife, and she had q face rs
long rs the moral law and ten times
more uncomfortable. Well, l went
to see Haley, and there he lay count
ing the moments in bitter fear that
each would be the last. / don't know
| what observation-disclosures he was troubled
with, but either that or the medicine
had turned him vivid saffron color.
Haley / said, 'Ill be hanged if I'd
want to die with such a complexion
as that. You would be in a pretty
plight to 60 incoming about the
other world looking like a
Chinaman.' went on for q
few minutes, when the poor fellow
began TO enter into the spirit of the
subject himself, and / showed him
his face in looking-glass, and that
brought smile. Then | turned to
his weeping wife and told her to
cheer up; that Haley was not going tc
die; that he was good for twenty
years to come.
"'The trouble with your husband
is that he is scared to death, / said
You all come in looking so downcast
and sorrowful that you give him the
impression that he is done for, an6
take away all his courage to fight
against his sickness
"Well, the result Of all this was tha
Haley commenced to mend, and time
and again since then he has said that
my visit saved his life.
"On another occasion there was 8
major in the army, whom / knew
very well. He was taken i'll and be
lieved he was going to die. / believe
he was simply homesick, or some
thing of that sort. Well, ] wrote hi
obituary, and went to see him In his
tent.
"'Major,' said, you are 80 sure o
dying that have written your obitu
ary, and ] want to read it to you. III,
protested, but l went ON with tn,
reading and detailed every pleasan
incident of his life. Before | finished
a smile fitted across his face. Afte
the obituary / read him story o
something that was supposed to hav,
taken place year after his funeral
1t was description of his widow
second marriage. There were goot
many more people at the wedding
than there were at the funeral. Well
this treatment had the effect to chang
the current Of the Majors thoughts
1t broke up his hallucinations, an,
he recovered, and did good servic
during the war, and lived a happ
life for years after.'"