Morris tribune., 1897-06-02
AN AFRIcANs MEDICO.
A Lively Incident, During Which Patient
and Remedies Were Badly Mixed.

The African medico was engag-
ed in taking the lid off a little
basket, then putting it on, then TAX
ing it off, while he muttered a low
chant, and was apparently utterly
absorbed in this occupation and OBJ
livious of all other things. / went
in to the patient and inquired what
the local medico had done for him,
and was informed that he had done
and was still doing his utmost to
find out who had stolen one of the
patients souls. / said DR.. So-and-
SOS treatment was the best possible,
but. now we would try something
more, so as to prevent the patient
dying before this obscure point in
diagnosis was made out. i had a
good look at the man and found him
in a state of high fever. He was ly-
ing in the usual African way on his
chest, and was picking at the floor
slowly with his hands, while he con-
versed with his father, who, I was
informed, had been killed many
years ago. Then went and got out
my medical book. Now, medical
books are fine things in their way
and afford interesting reading for
the young, but they are inconsider-
ate and exacting on the African
traveller, for they don't make any
oil fo1
tons. Now, this one of mine made
it clear that the man had got some
sort of Inflammation in his brain,
and ordered me among other things
to blister him on the back of his
head and neck.
Well, / took the mustard leaves
and went off like a lamb to obey
these orders, and found that be-
tween me and the back of the pa
TENTS head there was a mass of
wool some inches deep. 1t struck
me that placing the blister on this
wool could serve no other end than
exciting its inhabitants, and there
fore decided to remove it first, and
forthwith set out about clearing
patch off with a pair of scissors,
watched with keen interest by as
many people as could squeeze into
the little hut, which was some 10
feet long, wide and feet 6 inches
high.
While was engaged in this lively
operation the patient went off into
a brisk CONFUSION that frightened
me out ofimy wits. So dropped the
scissors and reared, driving my
head up through the roof, and tear
ing that structure from its supports,
I wore it as a collar or neck ruff,
while the patient broke the rest of
that simple home completely up,
and mixed himself, and the scissors,
and the mustard leaves, and the
lantern so we'll with the debris that |
it took some time to sort him out. I
regret to say, however, that the pa
tient was neglected for the next ten
minutes because'the assembled spec |
tators roared SO with laughter that
they were incapable of action, and
was busy clearing off my super
structure and trying to extract an
interesting and exciting collection
of centipeds, lizards, scorpions and
spiders, ETC., from my hair, where
in they had sought refuge on the
occurrence Of the cataclysm. When. |
however, had got d few of them
out not all, for that took some
weeks I went for the patient, and |
having got another light, extricated
him, blistered him. dosed him, paid
the other medico, and we all lived
happily ever after-at least, as far
as know. Anyhow, the patient got /
welI-that time. Miss Kingsley in
Cornhill Magazine.
The Only Pearl Farm In the World.