The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-03-07
4 TR UEs STORY IN REAL
LIFE
Is Life Wofth Lifting?


me to abandon 1t as a profession,
still | had more or less practice
among personal friends sufficient
TO keep up my interest in it.
One day l received visit from
an old friend, the captain OF q
coasting steamer. He seemed
much worried and for time made
his visit anything but pleasant. Al
last | said to him Captain, you
seem troubled about something,
can 1 aid you in any way?"
'Nop he replied shortly, cat
least | don't think you can, and
have pretty good reasons for think
ing So"
/ felt hurt for a moment, and
rather angrily replied, swell | don't
have to-"
"Of course you DON'T" he re-
spolded, "but it is an internal
shame, and it makes me mad ali
through when | think of the way
that have been bled by a lot OF
frauds, that call themselves doc
tors"
Then he continued rapidly, lyon
know that boy OF miner" l nodd-
cd.
"Wsll, he has had a serious tax
upon me for years, not that / be-
grudge him anything that he has
cost me, bat do curse, every time
think Of the hundreds of dollars.
earned in the hardest manner, dis
appearing into the pockets Of men
VINO promised much only to do the
worst kind of damage in the end T"
Now, l hvve the cheerful pros
pect of having an undertaker's bill
TO pay, besides losing my boy"
But he added savagely 81 have
spent the last dollar that | yer
will for medicine, and as he has to
die, the quicker the better"
lyon have no right TO talk in
that way, Captain" said l severely
GAS long as youc boy lives. it is
your duty to do everything in your
power to aid him."
"And HAUNT I2' was his re-
spouse; what IS the use of your
talking, you know JUS: as much
about curing him as the rest OF
them; although he added, 81 be-
lleve you have n conscience; the
rest l have had dealings with, don't
pan out so well in that respect" Il
tell you" he continued, "that bow
is doomed; be will go just like his
mother did, and the doctors can
write down in their books of fail
ures. one more death from con-
sumption, disease we know nothing
about"
He relapsed into a moody silence
AT last | SAID, els your boy very
low, Captain?'
"He can just crawl around" was
his response, aud what makes the
matter worse for me, is the pitiful
way in which be asks me to try and
do something for him. However
he will be here after awhile, and
want you as a friend of mine, to
tell me to the best of your knowl-
edge, how long you think he is
going to last, so that | eau make
my calculations"
While he was talking, ] saw the
boy approaching, and just as be
stepped into my Office painting and
gasplng, from his exertion in walk
lag, l said to myself, the grip OF
death is too firmly fastened on you
TO be ever shaken Off; After greet.
ing him, at his fathers request,
examined him and found him in the
condition that | shall describe. He
had evidently Inherited consump-
tlon from his mother; bronchial
tubes much thickened, so much sc
rs TO make the operation of breath
ing extremely difficult and painful
Chest cavity much contracted; aus
cultation and PERCUSSION showed
extensive tuberculous deposits, anc
cavities, especially In the left lob,
OF the lunge, body much emaciatet
and bloodless. In fact unless( t
my mind) some miraculous inter
vention occurred to stay the prog
ress OF the disease, the patient
could not survive but few weeks
| talked as oheerfully as could e
him, but he was too much de-
pressed, to pay much attention tC
anything but his suffering.
The father sent him to a restuar-
ant near by, and turning to me
he asked. "Well, what is the YER
dict?"
l had been thinking rapidly, and
as he spoheI had made up nv
mind to a procedure, as regards the
boy, that I dete mined TO follow out
In answer to his question, | said
Captain, unless something is done
for that boy, you will bury him
within a month"
"Well, what can be done" he
said excitedly, edo you want to
try your hand in experiments? Do
ycu want some of my money tool
Are you going TO sicken him to
death with rotten cod liver oil,
blister his skin with plasters, drug
him ami rush him into his cof-
fin?"
"Hold OF, Captain" replied, 81
don't want your money, but | am
going to try an experiment with
your permission. 1t is n matter OF
duty, and in his condition, can do
no harm, il it does no good"
GLOW much is it going TO cost2''
he asked. 81 don't know" was my
reply. whatever il is," he re-
joined, "will come ont of your peck
ct, not mine." "Don't bother your.
self about that" said i coldly
When the boy returned, he seemed
more exhausted than when he frs,
entered my office, and as his father
handed him a chair, he said to his
son, Del, the doctor here thinks
he can do you some good. What
do YOU say; do you want him to
tryp
| shall never forget the look on
the boys face, and his words, and
the heading of this article came
forcibly into my mind: lis Life
worth living?" Evidently it was
10 him, as il is to all mankind,
when tortured with pain, with the
clemmy hand of death encircling
their throats, they struggle in bis
relentless grasp, and cry ont 10 an
agony of terror, for Gods sake,
save me. l put him on q nutri
tious diet, eggs aud milk heading
the list, and provided him with a
preparation of medicine, TINT | had
never usad haf,ra or avar axnaof ad