, 1891-02-11
SURPRISED IN A DOCTORS OFFICE
Other Startling Things Than Skeleton
somstimes Found In CIosets-

somstImes Found in Closets
A peaceful and unoffensive citizen
was seated one evening in a doctors
Office in a neighboring city. He had
called on professional business, but
that had been disposed of, and as the
doctor seemed to be In no hurry he
fingered for a friendly chat, although
disturbed at intervals by the suspicion
that perhaps the amount of his bill might
be gagged by the length of the visit.
In moving about the Office looking for
some little article which he desired, the
doctor at length threw open the door
of a cabinet which occupied the space
In the upper part of one corner of the
room-The visitor opened his eyes in
wonder.
1t was not a skeleton upon which
his gaze fell. Do not be alarmed, gen
tie reader. There was nothing so hor-
rble to be disclosed-at least, in that
closet. No, the lights of the chande-
lier fell upon what looked like a cross
section of the armory room of a medi-
eval castle. There vas a multitude Of
glistening objects, all bearing some re-
bCD1Dlh1CO W oOhlO POIlAOh VI III hu-
man anatomy divine. II they were
armor, surely this was armor with
modern improvements, for these OBJ
jects-whether of tin or silver or plati-
num-, or of whatever metal composed
were perforated after the manner of
the seats in the cabins of New York
ferryboats. Perforated armor would
seem, however, to have certain draw
backs, along with whatever advan-
tages the perforations might secure.
1t Is believed that in the times when
armor was more common than it is
nowadays, the perforated variety would
not have commanded so good a price
In the market as that which was
ranted to keep out air as well as ar
rows, spears and other unpleasant
things.
The visitor, as has been implied,
opened his eyes in wonder, and like
wise expressed his wonder by means of
a wondering exclamation. The doctor
himself took a glance and laughed
THAT looks like a portion of the
Tower of London" said the other.
The doctor laughed again. ut looks
worse than l thought" he remarked.
THE fact is there have been some put
in there without my knowledge, and
they are not arranged precisely as they
ought to be. 1 don't know hat 1 ever
saw them in the full blaze of the gas
light before, and 1 didn't know just
how formidable ar appearance they
presented"
II hope said the visitor, that you
are not in the habit of suddenly open
ing that cabinet and springing that
show upon your unsuspecting pa
tents"
The doctor laughed once more. DE
cidedly not" was the reply, and in re-
Spouse to the visitors questions he ex-
planned what the cabinets contents
were.
They were ''splints" for use in tract
ures, and the doctor said that his col
lection contained at least one of every
possible fracture that could occur to
the human bones. Splints are made
of various substances; sometimes felt
Is used, being nodded into the proper
shapes, but the most approved splints
are made of thin copper covered with
tin. They are perforated in d to
provide for ventilation and are both
flexible and rigid, and are said to give
great comfort to those who are com
PEELED to use such things.
The doctors visitor had had no Z
perience with fractures or splints, and
confessed hat he did not want to have
any. He might have confessed, though
he did not, that in his mind splints for
a broken bone had always been asso-
ciated with such splints as baskets are
made of, and he had never thought of
modern improvements in connection
with them. But we all live and learn.
If we didn't what would the world
come to7-New York Tribune.