The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-03-17
HE DOTES ON OIL.
The Strange Appetite of a
Mission Boy.
A PALATE FOR NosTRUMs.
He Likes Castor Oil Better Than Other
Children Like Candy and
SweetmeatS.

There Is a youthful prodigy out In the
Mission that drinks castor oil with the same
relish that other children betray when
munching gum-drops or molasses candy.
He is big boy for his age, 8 years and
months old, and his name is Gregory
Tubbs Leech.
THE Tubbs is for his grandmother. 1t
was my maiden name before l married Mr..
Leech." said the proud mother of this
unique and wonderful infant to a CALL re-
porter yesterday.
Gregory was always a remarkable child,
but no one can account for his strange ik-
ing for such nasty stuff as castor OIL" con-
tinued Mrs, Leech.
HE was the biggest baby fer his age
when he was born that ever saw. and he
walked before most babies know how to
creep.
when he was six months old be was
very sick for a couple of days, and the
doctor ordered small dose of castor oil. A
lew weeks later il was necessary to give
him the same dreadful stuff again.
Il hated to give the dear child castor oil,
for l know how horrible the taste Is; the
mere smell Of it almost makes me sick.
1.-The first dose | gave him lie kicked and
sputtered Il good deal, though had Gdul-
terated 1t with lots of sugar. The second
time he opened his mouth and took it ms
though lie rather liked 1t. l thought it was
very good Of him 10 be so brave and swal-
low the stuff without crying.
"a little while after that he began cry
ing. ! couldn't think what was the matter
with the little pet, and to stop his bawling
carried him around the room and showed
him all the pictures and the nicknacks on
the mantelpiece.
when his eye rested on the castor-oil
bottle he made desperate lunge for 1t and
yelled like wild when l took him away.
ITO quiet him l let him have the bottle.
lie was greatly pleased and rested quietly,
playing and coOing over the bottle. 1t was
securely corked | thought. and placed him
on the center of the bed and put pillows all
around hin so that he could not drop the
bottle on the floor.
Then | went about my work. In about
an hour had leisure again and went to get
Creepy.
There he was. sitting against the pillows
and sucking that bottle. And the cork was
out OF 1t, and 1t was empty to the last drop.
= was so frightened | nearly tainted.
Then l thought maybe he hadn't swallowed
the dreadful stuff, but had spilled it, l
searched all about. but found no oilmarks
on any of the clothes. Then the awful truth
dawned upon me that my Greggy had swal-
lowed four ounces Of castor Oil.
Il had no one to send for the doctor and
did not dare to let him stay alone, SO l bun
died him up and carried him nearly a mile
TO the doctors house, fully believing that
the poor baby would be nearly, II not quite,
dead when he reached there.
The doctor was a good deal surprised
when tod him, but when he saw Creepy
and felt his pulse and watched him awhile
he said he guessed it was all right
And so 1t was. The dear little thing
never suffered bit Indeed, it seemed to
DO. him good, for he was the oest-behaved
baby in the world all that day, though he
had been cross and peevish the day before
About noon the next day he cried and
went on Just the same as on the previous
day, and lie would not be quiet till l gave
him small dose Of castor.oil.
The doctor said it was all right. so I
kept on letting him have castor oil The
doctor said there was something strange
about Gregory, but that there was evil
IDENTITY some natural craving in the child for
the stuff, aud he advised me to let him have
two or three teaspOonfuls a day as long as
it did him 10 harm.
when he was years old the doctor said
had better try TO ween him away from the
castor oil.
But 1t was terrible job. and the only
way we could manage him was to give him
cod liver oil instead. To this day he drinks
cod liver oil ike other children would
milk.
And every once in a while we let him
have castor oil. The doctor saws thera's
something IN his system that requires the
oil. and that we ought to let him have some
now and then.
Il suppose it's all right. for there never
was healthier or stronger boy than our
Gregory is to-day, but it's always been kind
OF uncanuy like to me his strange appetite
for stuff that tastes so horrid to other peo-
pie and affects them so differently"
And Gregory Tubbs Leech is to-day the
wonder, II not the admiration, of all that
part Of the Mission near 1wenty-fourth and
Folsom streets. where he resides.
He is the only child of Mr.. and Mrs.
Leech, who have been married six wears.
He is strong, hardy boy, and many par
ent has cause to envy his sturdy little limbs
and his ever ruddy cheeks.
But for all that he is a strange, strange
lad. Castor oil and cod liver 6ii and other
and sundry "horrid stuffs" are to him more
tootlisome than tidbits and candies to other
children,