The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-10-04

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OF the drawing-room than professional
However. j. humble If conscientious
practitioner. could not afford, had l so
desired. to decline to meet him. and /
consented to facilitate arrangements
for an interview at the great mans
convenience
The fashionable physician drew up
in his imposing equipage at the door
Of Mount Aureo half an hour behind
the time appointed, was introduced to
his patient, making the while profuse
apologies for having been unavoidably
detained by critical case-that of the
Duke of Deerwood-to whose house in
Mayfair he had been summoned by the
Duchess request to give his opinion as
to the treatment adopted by the at
tendant medical gentleman.
What said the society exquisite
for such the celebrity certainly was
''whatr' exclaimed he. in grandilo-
quent tones, striking a theatrical atti-
tude, lis it that fine young lady we are
to consult about? That superb girl, in
such perfect condition. Come, madam.
confess that you are only making fun
OF US"
WELL" replied Mrs Contango. i'm
pressed, as she was meant to be, by
the Importance of the pompous per
sonage who was addressing her, -
admit appearances are in my daugh-
ter's favor. and / hope that you may
be able to assure us that her condition
is not serious; but she is always losing
her voice-always coughing-and If
90. 60 .,ly a-yaff A
OF tears drowned the rest of the SEN
tence.
But" airily remarked the famous
doctor, my dear madam, why dis
tress yourself? All may be we'll Let
me hear from this gentleman, your
family attendant, the symptoms as he
has interpreted them"
/ gave the history OF the case in a
few words.
''Well, well; there seems to be moth
ing serious; but we must examine the
chest with the utm ost exactness to de-
eide that"
Pardon me-" Interrupts mamma,
but will you allow me to remain in
the room?'
''Of course, madam" responded
the favorite of fortune ''You have
a sacred right to stop here. Pray, sit
down And then he directed me to
commence the examination 1 per-
cussed with minute carefulness every
part of the thorax, and. as before,
could really find nothing abnormal
There; you perceive that / have
tested with exactness, and the reso-
nance is everywhere perfect"
made the remark as a mere matter of
form, for had not failed to note that
the very superior West End practition-
er had not condescended to pay the
slightest attention to my proceedings.
but was talking in low tones to Mrs.
Midas COntango all the ii
''Ah, well, now it is my turn" said
he, and with the most delicately i'm
pressive care placed Miss Muriel
again in position; not. as i had done,
with the arms crossed on the chest.
but stiffiy extended. In place of tell
ing her to count thirteen to sixteen"
he gave her a book and directed her to
read a dozen lines. and then to sing
the gamut, an octave and a half. The
mother was watching all this in ad-
miration and devouring every detail
"Ah! humph!' said the oracle; lit
seems there is something-but ex-
tremely difficult to differentiate. Let
US hear what percussion yields" And
his style was truly enchanting. Every
tap with the fingers was given with a
flourish and graceful sweep worthy
of the most expert professor of sleight-
of-hand that ever entertained Coun-
tess guests There was a moment of
studied indecision. and then, with n
covert smile, turning to me. he said:
There it is. Listen. my dear young
friend" as he beat his digital drum
now on this side, then on that Tick
tack, tick-tack- Harki do you hear
it? There is very appreciabIe diff
ference in resonance; when i say .ap-
preciable difference / do not say an
enormous difference-no-but there il
isr'
For my own part, SIR I returned,
II can not, with all Difference, detect
the slightest difference"
''Oh. very likely; but there, never
theless, il is Now come, however;
though-having ascertained the truth
about the case-my time is short, let
me convince you i will turn NV
back to the patient, and you shall
again percuss- / will tell which side
you are tapping upon by the variation
in the sound" He turned round. and
| percussed as equally as possible
the two sides of the thorax. ..You
are on the left side" He was quite
right! In a moment however, my
surprise was changed to admiration
OF the fashionable PHYSICIANS smart
audacity. His professionalism l
yet hope / may more truthfully write
II nprofessional-trick was obvious
enough, but performed with such per
feet aplomb that l was duped even
whilst taking part in it He had
turned his back to the patient, to Mrs.
Midas Contango and myself, but he
was looking into large mirror above
the console which faced himi
What could 1 do? / was mute. The
tables had indeed been so completely
turned upon me that 1 had nothing to
say.
Madam, 1 must not alarm you,''
observed the triumphant specialist to
Mrs Contango, who was in blissful
ignorance of the deception; ''these del
icate gradations in tone can only be
at once detected after immense prac-
tice, only by those who examine a
stream OF patients; but there is some
thing on the left side of your daugh-
ter's chest-nothing serious-so little,
indeed, that my young friend here has
been unable to find it; but there it is
And now the axami ation haipn cor,
plete, permit US to consult as to the
treatment, and then / must go, or
shall incur the displeasure of a noble
but somewhat impatient patient of