The Coconino weekly sun. [volume] (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 1891-1896, 1895-11-28
THE DUAL-DOSAGE SYSTEM.


Dog, Calaveras county, was q puzzle to
the doctors. He had such variety OF
peculiar symptoms that medical opin-
ion inclined to the belief that he suf-
fered from complication of diseases.
To one doctor the liver seemed to be
the chief organ at fault; to another, the
great trouble appeared to be in the kid
neys; while third would say that in
festival indigestion was the main diff
Guilty. And yet Mr.. Cutter had been adj.
viseo that his stomach was chronically
disordcred, and still another diagnosis
found grave arrangement Of the hearts
action.
What added to the troubles Of the pa-
tient was his Inconsistency with regard
to treatment. He had such distrust
of medical science that he would not
long adhere to the advice of any physi-
elan. He consulted doctor after doctor
and each expressed dissatisfaction with
the previous treatment and diagnosis.
There seemed to be so many things
wrong with his internal organs that
there was room for great diversity OF
opinion, and yet none of the doctors
need be wholly astray.
If Mr.. Cutter did not get we'll it was
not because he had failed to take medi.
cine. He had morbid delight in drugs.
After completing the rounds of the doc.
tors offices in his town he would some
times take course Of patent medicines
of his own account. He spent hours in
reading the advertisements of the va
rious nostrums, and occasionally he
would And recital of symptoms that
appeared to coincide with his own.
Then he would rush to the nearest drug
store, buy bottle of the much-wanted
remedy and faithfully take the dose pre-
scribed. BY the time he had exhausted
the bottle his tickle thirst for medica-
ton had found some fresh object of at
traction, or he had repaired to some
practicing physician, regular or irreg-
ulnr.
The wonder was, in view of the guam
titles of medicine he took, that he con-
tinued well enough to attend to his Of
fetal duties as treasurer of Calaveras
county. Moreover, he drank more
whisky than he could well carry with
entire equilibrium. Another failing was
fondness for faro, which gossips said
had often cost him more than he could
afford to lose. His drinking and gam
bling were the only things that served
to divert his attention from his real or
imaginary ailments. Were it not for
cards and liquor, as he expressed it, his
stomach would have been constantly
upon his mind. But some of his cronies
declared that there was nothing in re-
atty the matter with him; that his
maladies were imaginary, the truth
being that he had become hypo-
chondriac, and had deceived all the doc
tors by describing symptoms which had
no existence in fact.
In his restless search for novelty, Mr..
Cutter originated what he called dual
system of treatment. In it's applica-
ton to his own case this consisted in
dosing himself for one ailment while
following medical prescription for an
other. lie had theory that the doc
tors failed to give him relief because
they did not make their prescriptions
sufficiently comprehensive, having an
eye to only one disorder, while he was
the victim of number of diseases at
the same time. 1t was shortly after
the adoption of this new doctrine that
Mr.. Cutter called one day upon DR.. Slick
for a consultation.
The doctor listened with the utmost
professional gravity to the recital of a
long train of distressing symptoms.
II think your troubles" he said, at
last, may all be attributed to the liver.
It needs stirring up"
Mr.. Cutter was secretly convinced tina.
the fault was chiefly in the lungs, but
he dutifully took the prescription
which the doctor handed him, paid the
fee and went to the Red Dog druggist
to have the medicine compounded.
When the prescription had been filled
he decided that he would take some
glycerin for the benefit of his lungs.
and SO he purchased bottle of that sub
stance from the sympathetic apothe-
cary, who never failed to recommend
whatever Mr.. Cutter was disposed to
try.
Mr.. Cutter was widower, and the
only other occupant of his isolated
dwelling, on the outskirts of the town
of Red Dog, was an aged housekeeper.
Her chief virtue, in his eyes, was that
she never meddled with the medicine
closet, whose shelves were filled with a
wonderful accumulation of bottles,
every form and size being represented.
Despite the enormous consumption by
the owner, the stock of medicines re-
naming, in quantity as well as in va
riety, would have sufficed for ships
crew on voyage around the world or
for the supply of county hospital.
His latest acquisitions were now
added to this curious collection. And
each time that he took dose of the med
icine prescribed by DR.. Slick he followed
it up with q spoonful of glycerin. He
began to feel some rather curious eff
fects from this combination treatment
after few days. But, as the sensations
he experienced were rather agreeable