The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-11-14
despite her nerves. But her case was


somewhat anomalous With excellent
appetite, and though sleeping we'll, all
sorts of vagaries seized her. One day
she would send for me and insist that
she was dying from enlargement of the
liver; at another time she was just as
positive that her heart was diseased be-
yond help. Thus one malady after an
other came in quick succession. She did
not require medicine, and | could not
consistently prescribe it. Hence I gave
her compound of simple sirup and
water, havoring now with one inocu-
Gus extract and then with another, in
all cases agreeing with her that she
was afflicted as she claimed, and
leading her up to the belief that my
remedy had cured her. l trusted to
time to exhaust the list of diseases, but
counted without my host. Her re-
sources were infinite, and presently she
began to suffer from a complication of
disorders. Believing that the time
was ripe for denouement, l resolved
to undeceive her. To tell you the
truth her sweet face and loving heart
had made somewhat of an impression
upon me, and there were times when l
thought she might make me an adora-
BILE life partner. The progress she had
made in my esteem and favor led me to
believe that there was at least perfect
confidence on her part in me.
II was younger then, and full of
strength and assurance l obeyed a
summons to hasten to her side. When
she alleged acute lung and heart diff
Guilty l smiled incredulously and told
her she was as well as l, and then told
her what had done in her case. Her
head was half averted as l continued,
so that I could not study as would
have wished the effects of the revela-
ton. When | had done she turned
about, regarded me with look of in
effable scorn, denounced me as an i'm
poster and qua 'k, and forbade me ever
to enter her house again. l sought af-
terward a reconciliation, but without
avail. She is now an active disciple of
the faith cure school, but since my dis
missal she has paid many cool hun
dred annually into the purses of med
ical men less scrupulous than I; for her
delusion still clings to her, and doubt
less will until she dies"
The practice of medicine is a grand
art, and should not be prostituted. Yet
there are times when deception can
only be avoided at the sacrifice of life
itself. 1t is not year since | was sent
for to see a man who had taken big
dose of poison. When | reached him
he insisted that he would die and that
no remedy should go down his throat.
To the horror of his wife and friend
or two who were present, heartily
agreed with him that death was desira-
BILE for him, that life had lost all its
sweets and that were I in his place /,
too, should die. / then inquired of
him the quantity Of poison he had
swallowed. and when he told me l de-
clared he was in no danger of dying,
and made motion as though l should
leave him. With look of agony he
beckoned me to his side. when
reached over and whispered to him
that if he would not betray me would
give him dose of fatal poison. one
that would be sure to end his agony.
To this he readily assented, and by the
means saved his life. Here was rank
deception. but what else could l do
when the man resisted all persuasion
to accept relief. Had 1 not deceived
him he would have been dead within
two hours, for he had taken enough
poison to kill a half dozen men. -
Chicago Herald.