New-York tribune., 1895-10-06
THE DUAL.DOSAGE SYSTEM.
MR. CUTTERS EXPERIENCE WITH CUM
pREdENsIvE PRESCRIPTION.
rom the San Francisco Argonaut.


had sucb q variety Of peculiar symptoms u'a'
medical opinion inclined to the belief that ne SUI
fered from n complication Of diseases. 10 oh'
doctor the liver seemed TO be, the chief organ a'
fault to another the great trouble appeared 10 oe
In the kidneys while third would say that III
testinal indigestion was the main diihcuIty anu
yet Mr. Cutter had been advised tnat MS s,oao /"
was chronically disordered. and still another W
agnosis found grave arrangement or the heai'
action
What added to the troubles OF the patient was
his Inconsistency with regard to treatment ne
had such a distrust OF medical science that ne
would not long adhere to the advice OF any P"S
slcian He consulted doctor after DOCTOR anu
each expressed dissatisfaction with the previous
treatment and diagnosis. There seemed to be 80
many thInge wrong with his internal organs that
there was room for great diversity OF opinloh
and vet none Of the doctors need be wholly astray
II Mr. Cltter did not get well. it was not because
he failed to take medicine. He had morpid de-
light in drugs After completing the rounds OF the
doctors Offices in his town. he would sometimes
take a course OF patent medicines OF his own ac-
cord lie spent hours In leading the adVertlse-
rnents of the various nostrums, and occasionally
he would find a recital Of symptoms that appeared
to coincide with his own. Then he would rush 10
the nearest drugstore. buy bottle OF the much-
vaunted remedy, and faithfully take the doses
prescribed. BY tho time ne had exnausted the
bottIe his tickle thirst for medication had found
some fresh object Of attraction; or he had repaired
70 some practising physician regular or irregular.
The wonder was. in view OF the quantities Oh
medicine he took, that he continued we'll enough
10 attend to his official duties as treasurer OF
Calaveras County Moreover. he drank more
wi
equilibrium. Another falling a fondness for
faro which gossips said had often cost him more
than he could afford to lose His drinking and
gambling 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 cronles
declared that there was nothing IN reallly the
matter with him. that his maladies were mag
mary the truth being that he had become
hypochcndrac. and rad deceived all the doctors
by describing symptoms which had no existence
in fact
originated what he called dual system Of treat
ment In it's appca tiOn 10 his own case ms con-
sisted in dosing himself for one aiment wnlIe
following medical prescription for another' ne
had a theory that the doctors failed to give MIN
relief because they did not make their prescIlp-
tons sufficiently comprehensive having an eye
10 only one disorder, while he was the victim or
number or diseases at lle Sdilt llHit' - 'S
shortly after the adoption Of this new doctrine
that Mr.. Cutter called one day upon DR. slick
for consultation. ,
gravity to the recital Of long train Of distress
ing symptoms. - -
all be attributed to the liver. 1t needs Stirring
Mr. Cutter was secretly convinced that the
fault was chiefly in the lungs. but ne dutfuly
took the prescription which the doctor handed
him paid the fee. and went - the Red Dog drug
gist to have the medicine compounded Nhen
the prescription had been filled he decided tnat
he would take some glycerine for the oehehI d
his lungs, and he purchased a Dotue ol tHdt
substance from the sympathetic apotheoary. VINO
never failed 10 recommend whatever Mt cutter
was disposed TO try
Mr. Cutter was widower, and the only otner
occupant of his isolated dwelling, on the out
skirts of the town of Red Dog, was an aged
housekeeper. Her chief virtue. in his eyes. was
that she never med iled with his medicine closet,
whose shelves filled with wonderful ac-
cllmulation Of bottles. every form and size be-
ing represented. Despite the enormous con-
sumption by the owner, the stock or medicines
remaining. in quantity as wen as III variety
would have sufficed for a ships crew on
voyage around the world or for the supply OF
county hospital. .
His latest acquisitions We're now added to his
curious collection. And Zach time that he took
a dose of the medicine prescribed,by DR.. Slick.
he followed IL up with a SPOONFUL Of glycerine.
He began 10 feel some rather curious eHects
from this combination treatment after a Few
DAYS But, as the sensations he experienced
were rather agreeable than otherwise. he con-
cluded that the dual system working well.
and persevercd in it. In the course OF another
week he conscious Of peculiar sort OF
exhilaration and when he walked out of doors
he seemed to be treadng on air. This aroused
his curiosity. and he made a second call on DR..
Slick.
patient. "DO you mind telling me what was in
that prescription you gave me-?
That" said the doctor much pleased to find
his prescription efficacous, called for moth
ing more than nitric acid in solution. 1t is a
very powerful remedy. and you must be careful
not to exceed the dose prescribed"
II didn't know whether ii was your medicine
or the glycerine that was doing me so much
good" remarked Mr. Cutter. abstractedly as If
speaking 10 himself
"Glycerine?" queried he doctor. whose quick
ear had caught the word What glycerine?"
i've been taking some. along with the med-
cine" Mr. Cutter explained in confusion know
ing how medical men dislike any departure
from the treatment they order.
There a momentary twinkle In the doctors
eye. 1t might have passed for amusement, but
there was every appearance Of CONSERVATION in
his manner AS he jumped TO his feet and ex
claimed:
"What? Glycerne and nitric acid! Great
heavens man, do you know what you have done?
Thank God | cannot be held responsible for the
consequences. no matter what may happen"
why cried his patient in alarmed surprise
whats the natter"
Matter? Why. man. you have saturated your
system witn nitro -glycerne. That's what's the
matter Don't jump like that. The least shock
may make you 60 off in a twinkling. You must
avoid jar you would poison. Couldn't you
see that the acid and the elycerine would chem
ically unite and make you explosive? How much
glycerine have YOU taken?
about two ounces. think" was the dismayed
answer.
"ls it possible You are positively dangerous to
be at large. You must practice the utmost
tion. Don't ride on the cars. the least concus-
sion might be IA tai. You must get rubber soes
put on your shoes Immediately BE careful not to
Jump even off a doorstep. or course, YOU must
not shoot. expose yourself in any way to shocks
or explosions OF any kind. Even the swapping Of
a cap might make you vanish In second, and
there would be nothing but loud report TO tell
the tale OF your disappearance
But. doctor" implored the trembling patient
"can your science do nothing for me? Cannot you