The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-28
A
TRIUMPH
OF
nEDICINE.

lllal IL VIII SeHu me maui Soillc udS'
"'Yes, 1t is great anliction. said
shortly, not little Chagrincd that J
had been summoned at that time of
the night to a consultation which could
have been held at any time, but it
can be cured in time with healthy liv-
ing
I But that does not help me tonight
| said my patient, pushing the box Of
cigars towards me.
Yes | am perfectly certain that
shall not sleep wink. 1t would make
| me feel suicidal to go to bed and try.
| That is why l sent for a doctor hut
| / am sorry that you had to come So
| tar
"'Well, it is lucky that I brought
| some drugs with me- | said opening
| my brief bag before me. 4 will give
| you n sleeping draught for tonight.
| but YOU must give up drugs and live
| heaith'iy, and take plenty of exercise
| and diet yourself, if you really want
| a cure
81 took out the soporofic had Pc
pared before I started as | spoke, but
| the old gentleman shook his head
| hopelessly.
1T is not the least use giving me
| drugs DOCTOR he said, L have satur-
ated my System with them and they
have no effect upon me-
Then may ask why you have s"nt
| for me" ] asked, feeling very muck
| lihe losing my temper.
Well, It's like this DOCTOR lie said
7lacidly. y can't sit up all night by
myself. I feel as though l should so
mad if I do. 1 must have somebody
to talk to-
"'And gou mean to tell me- -----
| began hotly, and paused for want Of
| words to express my indignation.
MY patient took advantage ~ the
pause to Iloceed in his gentle, half
| apologetic cIArEeT
IL assure you doctor that I looked
Hpon 1t as cutie a business matter.
dn not look upon Il lhysician as & phil
| anthropist, but n business mal. whose
| chief irducemcn., after all, is to :islce
| monty. Nay ] ask what yoJr usual
| fee is?'
| MY usual fec is seven and six
TarCr. said "2Vtrc:y. was modest
beginner in those days. 'Bu. whsn
am called out in the night -
"'You make it higher of course put
in my patient imperturbly; shall we
say ten shillings?'
Il nodded.
| "And may I ask how long your visit
usually takes?
"'It varies from five minutes to an
| hour
| "The man performed a short calcu-
| lation on his fingers.
"Then we may call your avcraC Ce
visit thirty-two and half minutes he
said quietly. 'Well I am quite pre-
pared to pay YOU ten shillings for every
| thrty-two and half minutes that you
| remain with me. You came i'm at eX-
| actly twenty minutes past T.. Allow
me to pay you up till seven minutes TO
l. He gravely handed me half-a-sov-
| ereiGn as he spoke, and went on: If
you prefer it l have not the least OBJ
| lection to your giving me medical ad-
vice all the time you are here, although
| that is quite immaterial to me, SO long
as you talk about something, ana keep
me from the loneliness that dread. Do
| take cigar and help yourself to the
whiskey'
His tone was so busincss-like and
| matter-of-faCt that it was impossible
| to quarrel with him. Besides, his cVi-
dent dread of being alone, which so
| many victims of insomnia have, ap-
pealed TO my sympathies.
| Il was not successful enough then to
| disregard the chance of gaining a rich
| and eccentric patient, the very class
who make the profession worth prac-
| ticinS, from "A peCuniary point of View
| Il made no demur, therefore, but de-
| termined to stay at least until | had
given directions for curing his want Of
| sleep by systematic exercise and plain
| living, and l lighted one of his cher
| oots, which were, indeed, excellent.
AT the end of half an hour l rose to
go. But my strange patient pleaded
| with me so earnestly to accept another
fee and stay half an hour more that I
! scarcely had the heart 10 leave him.
y fresh idea occurred to me.
" 1 will stay on one condition. / said;
| that you lie down and let me try TO
get you to sleep | felt that If ! could
succeed in doing SO l should have done
something to justify my visit and
should be able to get back to my own
bed without any danger OF offending a
possible remunerative patient.
He agreed instantly, and drew up
comtortable-looking couch to the fire
in place of his chair.
Now, if J will do my level best to
sleep, will you promise not TO leave me
till | am OFF, he said. and, feeling
pretty confident of my powers, | rath-
er unwisely consented.
Il began by reading aloud to him in
a soft mOnutonOus tone which | have
| generally found effective, and at the
end of half an hour was congratulat.
inS myself on my success, when the old
gentleman jumped up wide awake,
and, fishing in his pocket, produced
another half sovereign.
L must not forget your fee he
said as he lay back again at fun length
ON the couch. Please go on. 1t is
very soothing
II was getting desperately sleepy
myself, and more than ever anxious to
succeed and get away, when my pa
tient reused himself again suddenly.
" This won't do he said quite anxi-
ously. If l go to sleep how on earth
shall know what l owe you?'
You can trust that to me- 7 said,
shortly, and continued the reading
again, with what seemed like complete
success, till at O'Clock my patient
jumped up as lively as ever TO present
me with my fourth fee.
THE want of success made me des-
perate, and l was already regretting
deeply the promise which prevented
me leaving the old gentleman to his
fate, and getting home, when another
thought suggested itself To me.
THE sleeping draught which he had
refused was lying on the table before
me. lie admitted having taken large
quantities OF every known drug, but
this was very strong one. and might
affect him more than he expected. II |
] LII l. a.. 4