Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-11
CUNNING OF SICK PEOPLE.
Queer Dodges That Are Tried by Pa.
tfents to Deceive the Doctor.

Queer Dodges That Are Tried by Pa
tients to Deceive the Doctor.
''Sly? There is nothing slyer on earth
than a sick woman"
1t was a Washington physician who said
IT. and he added:
Il have to be continually on the lookout
for tricks that my women patients play
me. Not only do they try 10 get ahead
or me in all sorts of ways as TO diet and
other matters. but they will invent every
conceivable dodge just for the sake Of en-
tertainment For example yesterday was
taxing the temperature Of a young lady with
continuous fever.
''Sne held the thermometer in her mouth
five minutes. as usual And, by the way.
women always object to that performance.
because 1t prevents them from talking.
one Of my patients says that she iuvsri-
ably thinks OF something important to say
the moment after the glass tube has been
placed between her lips. and she newt
ably forgets what it was by the time the
instrument is removed.
'SuI. as 1 was going to remark, this pa
tient underwent the ordeal. at the concIu-
sion Of which she withdrew the thermom-
eter and handed it TO me. / noticed Q COW
ert grin as she did SO. and wondered what
she was smiling at. But declare that
Was Positively startled when i found that
The instrument registered only 81 degrees
ahrenneiL AZ that mad been her actual
temperature she would have been dead;
Out, On the contrary, she exhibited every
Vlner symptom ot rapid convalescence.
The tact was that, lust DeIore 4 gave
ner the thermometer, she mad Iaken q sip
OF water from a glass, and had inciaen tally
secre.eu chunk OF Ice IN her mouth Nat
uraIly. that affected the record OF the tube.
The patient explained that she had become
50 oIss with waiting tor her 1empera-
cure 10 come down 70 norman that she
nad thought little artllce would be both
appropriate and excusaois.
A Pulse Trick.
But that is nothing compared to another
recent experience OF mine. A SRI OF about
seventeen was recovering nicely from an at
Jack OF 1aunolce. In TACT she was getting
so much better that her sister insisted on
resuming her ordinary habit OF sleeping
with her. / would have preferred not, but
mere WAS really no serious Objection
'One night, having been detained. I got
around rstner late. Ii was after 10 p-n-
L walked up stairs TO the SICK room and
found tie SISTERS both in peo, the wei one
apparently sound asleep. The Hgnt burned
rather olInly. felt tue pulse, which had
oeen quite high in the morning OF the same
DAY. 40 my surprise II was fun. reg ulsr,
and quite normal as 10 beats. i tried IL q
second time with the same result
Now, what do you suppose the trick was
IN that caseI You would never guess. The
two girls had 80 arranged themselves In
oed that the arm OF the well sister was
under the sick one ana projected IN such .
manner as 10 make IL appear as II il belong
ed TO the latter. ! had been feeling the
pulse OF the wrong young lady. No wonder
Il was healthy.
Difficulties as to Diet.
The matter Of diet is most difficult for
the physician to control His instructions
are always apt to be disregarded. and he
must contend not only against the reluct-
ant patient but also with inJudicious rela-
lives and friends who give her things she
should not eat on the sly. One woman
whom i ATTENDED in a serious illness got
hold OF bag Of pears, brought to her by
a sympathetic acquaintance, and secreted
them under her bed. She ate them all and
the fact that she did not die was simply
due TO her remarkable constitution.
But 4 viii tel you OF a little experience
Of that sort which / met with quite re-
Gently. There was a little girl in George
town, about twelve years Of age, who was
on the point OF eonvalescence after typhoid
rever She had been on a liquid diet for
weeks, and her appeals for more satisfac-
tory food were piufuL She said that the
Stops L prescribed fer her made her sick
well, one morning, when 1 came to the
house and was walking upstairs TO the
sick room, happened to meet the patients
grandmother. She stood aside TO let me
pass ana L noticed that she appeared 70
conceal something behind her back.
stopped short
Madam 1 said. let me see what you
are hiding
After brief demur she produced It 1t
was a piece of bread.
You were going to give that bread 70
Nellie% l said sternly.
Yes she confessed The Door child
has been crying for it,
TOOK the bread from her without fur
tner remark and sought an immediate in
tervlew with her son, Nellie's father
Mr.. y / said, you must send your
mother home TO Baltimore at once The
take tt
But doctor objected the father, much
astonisheo. this is a severe demand on
your part 1 cannot understand the reason
LOT ", ana L am very reluctant TO comply
You must take your choice / replied.
between your mothers presence and your
daughters life. A moment ago i caught
her In the act OF trying TO convey a slice
OF pread TO the patient II she had sue
ceeaed In doing so unobserved, Nellie would
PROBABLY have been dead within forty eight
Inc old lady went back TO Baltimore
tnat afternoon. As for Nellie / met her
IN the street today and noticed that roses
bloomed In her Cheeks
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