Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-05
A DOCTORS EXPERIENCE.
He Tells Why He Was Induced I
Abandon His PrOfeasiOn.


Abandon His PrOfexsiOn.
well-krown business man from Texas
was in town not long age on his way to
New York. when Star reporter met him
and had long talk with him. Instead of
being either judge or major. he was doc
tor and the reporter asked him how he
happened on that title.
Il used to be a physician" was the re-
ply.
What did you quit for. If It's fair
question:"
The gentleman from Texas hesitated, and
| the hotel clerk Joined the reporter in coax
ing him to tell the story of his life.
Il suppose L might as WELL" conceded the
gentleman, "and here goes. When / was
twenty-five years old left Kentucky for a
town III Arkansas, and there l hung out
my shingle and continued the practice of
medicine. j had such good luck that / be-
came quite confident of my ability, and
felt quite able to tackle any sort of a
case that came my way. i had been prac-
ticing about three years, and had saved
up nearly fifteen hundred dollars, when one
day young fellow led his father into my
office. and the old gentleman wanted me
10 remove his eye. as it panied him SO he
couldn't stand ii.
Il had never had much experience with
eyes, and, Of course, I shouldn't have I'M
dertaken his case, but / thought / was
equal TO anything. and at once began MAX
ing my preparations for the operation
l understood from what the son said that
the pain from the bad eye affected the
other. ard as IL had been blind for ten
years. the family thought the best thing
to do was to remove it. In very short
timo l had my patient under the influence
Of ether, and without calling in any as
s!stance further than the son. I went to
work and soon had the eye out. Then as
| began to put ii in shape / noticed to
NV hot I ha1 saly = he
eye. The thought Of what l had done
startled and frightened me so that / at
once hurried through my work and sent
the Old man home in a carriage.
Then / drew out what money / had in
the bank. packed up my belongings and,
after settling all my bills quietly, I took
night train and left the town for Mex
leo. Being extremely sensitive anyway
the thought of the terrible injury / had in
hictcd upon this man so wrought upon my
feelings that l could not stay in one place,
and l wandered about Mexico for three
months. At the same time / was afraid
that / might be identified by some person
and be arr .sted and carried back for the
punishment l SO richly deserved. After
four months l came over to Texas and in
a remote town. 1 opened an office again
make living, and stayed there for five
years, worrying so over the man that / had
made blind. and perhaps had left to die,
that L became gray and wrinkled.
Il presume 1 would have died there but
one day l happened into San Antonio and
met a man l had known in the Arkansas
town. At first / thought of trying to get
away, but / concluded that the time ha i
come for me to take my punishment, for
l couldn't stand it any longer and / went
up to him and asked him if he didn't come
from Blankvile and did he know Mr. Y
and the doctor who had got out of town so
disgracefully. / was relieved to find that
he didn't know ME at all. and he at once
proceeded to tell ME that the disa ppearance
of the doctor was still an unsettled mys-
terry. and that Mr.. Y was in good health.
| told him i had heard that the doctor had
taken out the wrong eye and that the old
man had become stone blind in conse-
Quence He assured me that the old man
had not suffered any Inconvenience at
all, because he was blind. anyway. in both
eyes. and had been for years. and another
physician had finished the job quite sat
sfactorily, and the patients general health
had greatly improved.
you have no idea" concluded the gen.
tleman from Texas, ''how this news reliev-
ed me, and in my enthusiasm / gave I'D
the practice of medicine forever and nut
my money into manufacturing establish
nent that has almost made me rich in the
past twenty years. l never went back to
the remote Texas town again. neither did
1 ever go 10 the Arkansas town. nor tell
my informant who l was AS 1t happened
] was all right, but the suffering l had en-
dured was enough to cause me to put that
part of my past clear behind me and keep
it there