The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-13
A DOCTORS EXPERIENCE.
He Tells Why He Was Induced to
Abandon His Profession.
From the Washington Star.


From the Washington Star.
A well known business man from Texas
was in town not long ago on his way to
New York, when Star reporter met him
and had a long talk with him. Instead oe
being either judge or major, he was a
doctor, and the reporter asked him how
he happened on that title.
81 used to be 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
coaxing him to tell the story of his life.
II suppose l might as WE'LL" conceded
the gentleman, land here goes. When /
was twenty-five years old I left Kentucky
for a town in Arkansas, and there L hung
out my shingle and continued the practice
of medicine. l had such good luck that l
became quite confident of my ability, and
felt quite able to tackle any sort of a
case that came my way. l 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 to remove his eye, as it panied him so
he couldn't stand it,
II had never had much experience with
eyes, and, of course, shouldn't have I'M
dertaken his case, but l thought l was
equal to anything, and at once began max
ing my preparations for the operation. 1
understood from what the son said that
the pain from the bad eye affected the
other, and as it had been blind for ten
years, the family thought the best thing
to do was to remove it. In very short
time had my patient under the influence
of ether, and without calling in any as
sistance further than the son, l went to
work and soon had the eye out. Then as
l began to put it in shape, l noticed to
my horror that I had taken out the wrong
eye. The thought of what l had done
startled and frightened me so that 1 at
once hurried through my work and sent
the old man him in a carriage
Then I drew out what money 1 had in
the bank. packed up my belongings and,
after settling all my bills quietly, 1 took
a night train and left the town for Mex
leo. Being extremely sensitive, anyway,
the thought of the terrible injury l had
inflicted upon this man so wrought upon
my feelings that / could not stay in one
place, and 1 wandered about Mexico for
three months. At the same time 1 was
afraid that I might be identified by some
person and be arrested and carried back
for the punishment l so richly deserved
After four months l came over to Texas,
and in remote town, l opened an Office
again and changed my name. managed
to make living, and stayed there for
five years, worrying so over the man that
I had made blind, and perhaps had left
to die, that became gray and wrinkled
Il presume would have died there, but
one day l happend into San Antonio, and
met man | had known in the Arkansas
town. At first thought of trying to get
away, but I concluded that the time had
come for me to take my punishment, for
l couldn't stand it any longer, and L went
up to him and asked him if he didn't come
from Blankville, and did he know Mr. X
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 the disappearance
OF the doctor was still an unsettled mys-
terry and that Mr. X. was in god health
/ told him 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
isfactorily and the patients general
health had greatly improved.
You have an idea, concluded the gem
tleman from Texas, 'how this news re-
lieved me, and in my enthusiasm I gave
up the practice of medicine forever, and put
my money into a manufacturing estab-
ment that has almost made me rich in the
past twenty years / never went back to
the remote Texas town again. neither did
over go to the Arkansas town. nor tell
my informant who ] was. As It happened.
/ was all right, but the suffering had on
dured was enough to cause me to put that
part Of my past clear behind me and keep
1t there"