Thomas County cat., 1889-09-12

you are tapping upon by the variation
in the sound" He turned round, and
I 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 professional-nay. l
yet hope may more truthfully write
it unprofessional-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 him!
What could do? was mute. The
tables had indeed been so completely
turned upon me that had nothing to
say.
Madam, 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 examination being COM
plete, permit us to consult as to the
treatment, and then I must 60, or
shall incur the displeasure of noble
but somewhat impatient patient of
mine"
When We were alone l again ex-
pressed my incredulity, delicately
limiting at my observation of his ruse.
''Tut, tut! my dear young friend"
said he, testify, you have not yet
grasped the situation. Now, here you
have girl who coughs and has been
hoarse for long time-then how the
deuce can you get over the fact by
telling the parents that there is no
cause for it! Very likely there is
nothing the matter with her; but why
does she cough?"
THAT was exactly what her mother
said to me-"
There you are; and mamma was
quite right; there must be some cause
for it. We may not be able to lay our
finger upon it, for we must examine
and understand our patients thor
oughly very often before we can make
out their ailments, and then one finds
the mischief, because, you see. we are
expected to discover it,
But suppose there really is moth
ing"
Nonsense! There always is. But
even if there were not, we are equally
bound to find it; for if you tell these
anxious people, L can discover moth
ing wrong they will naturally put it
down to your ignorance, and send for
somebody else who has knowledge
enough of human nature or sufficient
savoir taire not to be embarrassed
with so small difficulty. Now, do
you see my meaning?"
Theoretically there is nothing,
practically there is.''
"You may put it so, if so it please
you. But assured you that there is
and there is your vigilance and
punctllious exactitude notwithstand-
ing-a little convenient difference in
resonance. The mamma heard tho
remark, as intended her to do; she
lad not the remotest idea what it
meant-why should she have?-but
she is perfectly happy now that the
cause of her darling's cough has been
discovered, because she thinks, the
cause being known, the cure will fol-
low. The more unintelligible the ex-
PLANTATION, the more convinced is she
of its correctness. One may remedy,
you know, a difference in resonance;
but how can you pretend to cure per-
son whom you persistently declare to
have nothing the matter with her?"
l began to understand.
Now" continued this consummate
VI oOSiCts o0-
NIT that this is not science"
''Nor what the schools and our
academical training teach u.s." haz-
arded l.
Quite so, my dear fellow; but ac-
cept for once the tuition of man who
has not altogether failed in his pro-
fession. What l have taken the
trouble to demonstrate to you gratis is
a good working rule-smelling a /
little, perhaps, so to SPEAK. of the
shop or OF legal tape-but if our
patrons are satisfied. our patients |!
made happy. our regulations ad-
vanced. can we wisely permit so triv-
ial matter as departure from slavish |
adherence to what is miscalled prin-
ciple to stand between us and success?"
WELL" admitted l. little sadly, |
perhaps you are right"
.'Of course l am, my dear young |
friend I am a cynic but I succeed |