The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-08-29

chosen. for tho faculty rather smiled at
his pretensions to pro-cminent skill,
and his reputation was far more that
OF the drawing-room than professional.
However. /, humble II conscientious
practitioner. could not afford. had 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 Ut the door
Of Mount Anreo 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 Dccrwood-to whose house in
Mayfair he had neen summoned BY the
Duchess request to give his opinion rs
to the treatment adopted by tho at
tcndant medical gentleman.
What said the society exquisite
for such the celebrity certainly was =
what exclaimed he. in grandilo-
qucnt tones, striking . 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. Con:ango. 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-
tiers favor. and l 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 il
we were not to take care A food
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 WELL Let
me hear from this gentleman, your
family attendant, the symptoms as he
has interpreted them"
l gave the history Of the case in q
few words.
well, we'll; there seems to be moth
ing serious: but We must examine the
chest with the utm ost exactncss to de-
eide that.
Pardon me-" interrupts mamma.
'but will you allow me to remain in
the room?"
lot course. madam" responded
the favorite Of fortune you have
sacred right to stop here. Pray. sit
down." And then he directed me to
commence the examination. | per,
cnssed with minute carefllhess every
part Of the thorax, and, as before.
could really find nothing abnormal
There; sou perceive that | have
tested with exactness. and the resoJ
nance is everywhere perfect" 1
made. the remark as mere matter of
form. for had not failed to note that
the very superior West End practition-
err had not condescended to pay the
slightest attention to my proceedings.
but was talking in low tones to Mrs
Midas Contango all the time. III:
'.Ah. well. now it is-my turn sid
he. and with the most delicately i'm
pressive care placed Miss Murtel
again in position; not. as had done
with the arms crossed on the chest.
but stifiiy extended. In place of tell
ing her to count thirteen to sixteeh."
he gave her book and directed her 70
read. a dozen lines, and then to sing
the gamut, an octave and half. The
mother was watching all this in adj
miration. and devopring every detail;
'.Ah, humph!. said the oracle; 1T
seems there is sotnething-but ex,
tremely difficult to dihercntiate. Let
us hear what percussion yields" And
his style was truly enchanting. Every
tap with the fingers was given with Il
flourish and q graceful sweep worthy
OF the most expertrrofessor OF sleisht-
of-liand that ever entertained Coun-
tes4s guests. There was a moment OF
studied indeeision. and then, with a
covert smile, turning TO me. he said:
There it is. Listen. my dear young
friend" as he heat his digital drum
now on this side. then on that. Tick
tack. ticklack.. .Hark! do you hear
ifs There lisa We j. appreciate diff
fereacc in reSpn anIc; when Isay 'ap-
preciablc difference + do not say an
enormous .difference--no-but there it
ISL
For my own part, SIR" / returned
I'll can not, WITH all Differences, detect
the slightest difference"
"Oh, very likely; but there. never
| thaiess. il. Is: Now come, however;
though having ascertained the truth
about the case-my time is short, let
me convince you. ! will turn my
back to the patient, and: you shall
| again percuss. I;Eilt. veil which side
you are tappingtypon by she variation
in the sound" He turned round, and
I percussed as equally as possible
the two sides OF the .thorax. You
are on the':leV gfle - gie was quite
right In q mpments. however, my
Surprise was changed to admiration
Of the fashionable. physicians smar,
alllacity. His professional may. |
yet hope l may more truthfuliy, Write
ii unprofessional- trick was obvious
enough. but performed with such per-
feet aplomb that / was duped even
whilst taking rpafts' t6s iEr He had
turned bis back tothe patient, to Mrs.
Midas Contango and myself, but he
was looking into a large mirror above
the console which faced him! r.,
y ..What could 1 do? j was mute. The
tables had indecd been so completely
turned upon me that had nothing to
say.
Madam, / must not alarm you.'
obshrved:th the triumphant specialists to
Mrs Contango, who was in blissful
ignorance of, the deaaptiOp,. these del
icate gradations in tone can only be
y once detected after immense prac-
tice. only by: THOSE WHO Examine a
stream Of patients; but there is some