Telegram-herald., 1891-12-14


soBAD OF DLUHDERDoAU Doc10nA
have had Some lively times with my
doctors IN New York and there can b
no harn in telling ef them Some tins
sgo xot back from . iDreign country,
- which they had sent ne e last ~
sort, and from vhzsh thAy thoughx
would never retxrn- had been laid up
for long time with . complexities a
mAlzdiss which threatened 70 pus IN
end - life. and n eminent member Of
the medical faculty. worthy and wiss
prsctitiones, locked after the case.
MoAths pAxasd away without recovery.
He came 10 think that the case looked
desperate and made his thoughts known
VIVA proper gravity 70 others than ny
self What Is the progress?" l asked
him one day. and he admitted THAI is
was not favorable, soon after which IL
seemed proper 20 provide for his fees.
In order 10 make sure of the case and to
see whether anything farther could be
done IN II. he suggested the calling Of =
council Of highly distinguished nedicos.
and next day the council was held In
the sick chamber a. l lay abed. They
examined the case. IN which they found
anomalous symptoms, and il soon be-
came evident from their looks and whis-
perings-which wero. of course, noticed
by the patient-that they regarded it a.
dangerous. They went into an ada
cent room 70 exchange views In private,
and when they returned after time, To
take another look at me-. | saw by tho
increased sobricty Of their faces, that
there was no hope. What is the prog
nosis?" asked. the reply 70 which was
. dry smile, and what u the price OF
it?" the answer to which came next
morning In the shape Of bill for $50 for
the consultation. In order 70 settle tho
whole business beyond doubt, another
highly distinguished medico. whom we
win call DIR. Psntaglnel. and who has
the reputation Of always icing able to
forecast the result of an illness that is
sure to be fatal" was next called in.
He gazed ut we, felt my pulse, smelt
my forehead, asked few questions, and
gave his opinion that the sufferer was
in serious straits. The prognosis was
un;avorable, and the price of it was $50.
lis he dead yet?" asked an enterprising
newspaper reporter who knocked at
the door one night after midnight.
After . short time l found out, az
patients are apt to find out, the real
opinion of the medical advisers. The
regular doctor. the three eminent
doctors who held consultation, and the
highly distinguished doctor who used
his probcscis as . mortality detector,
had pronounced my doom, saying eau
tiously that recovery was not to be
looked for and that the end WAS ap-
preaching.
Still INDUCING private doubt of the
accuracy of their prognosis, | :
termined that, before death and burial
I would 90 over the seas and abroad.
took ship from this port and In fort
night was on the shores Of the Mediter-
ranean, with no change from my MORT
bund condition. When l got to Nice,
. Scotch doctor living there was sent
for. He came in . lively way, ex-
anined the case, noted the symptoms,
which were those of nervous prostra-
ton. gave some advice, left some medi-
cine and said there was good prospect
Of recovery. lis that your prognosis,
doctor9r 1T is" "And what is its
price?" "Ten shillings," as he smiled.
But" said I, II have paid the New
York doctors moro than twenty times
Is much for prognosis just the oppo-
site of thatr' He smiled again, repeated
his visits at a cheaper rate on subse-
and Urnnth "a
somewhat improved somehow. When
springtime came, he advised me to
spend the summer among the Scotch
mountains where he knew q doctor to
be recommended. ! took the advice,
set out for the Highland hamlet he had
spoken of, and there saw the doctor he
had commended This new doctor
laughed merrily 1T tho stories told of
my experiences with my prognostica-
ting and costly medical advisers in New
York, and at once gave favorable
proRnosis of the case. When asked
what would be his fee for this surpris-
ing prognosis. he -eplied four shillings,
but that other visits would be half that
rate. l secured his services for the
season, took the drugs which he gave,
enjoyed the hills. the sunshine and the
breeze IN his company, grew jocund
while he sang the songs of life among
the heather, got well az the months
sped along, and took ship ind duo season
back to New Work, wheref looked up
the doctors Of progposticstion who had
declared me TO be doomed man a year
before and charged prodigious fees for
the blundcr-headed prognosis-
These experiences merely show that
some eminent doctors may sometimes
make mistakes in regard to the prog
nosis of their cases. and il any one Of
them were to say that the last vowel in
the plural of proguosis 10 the second
vowal IN the alphabet should prompt
ly admit the accuracy Of his scholar
ship in regard to that formidable word.
JoHs SwfNroS.