Washington sentinel., 1898-12-24

l.
1t is now nearly fourteen years
ago that ] had received a hasty
note from a colleague inviting me
to meet him in consultation upon
a case which, TO use his words, had
entirely baftled all efforts TO ar
rive at the cause, or 60 afford per-
manent relief 70 the suffer"
During the earlier years OF my
practice / had found sufficient leis-
ure time to devote myself to the
study Of brain diseases, and had
written some essays on the subject,
one OF them receiving honorable
notice IN the transactions OF the
society of which ! was a member.
From the tenor OF DR.. Wilson's s
letter judged that ! was to be
called in as a specialist to see his
patient, whose mental powers had
apparently become affected, and as
l was glad to have the opportunity
OF investigating any instance of
cerebral arrangement which might
offer itself, / lost no time in send
ing an affirmative reply.
Late in the afternoon Otthe same
day l accordingly found myself in
the study of Sir Robert Pensmyth's
house, and was cordially well
coined by Dr. Wilson, who had
been awaiting my arrival
I'm heartily glad 10 see you,
Hartford, he SAID, mot only for
the sake OF 'auld lang syne,' and
the CHEEKY days we used to pass
together at Toms, but also be-
cause | am thoroughly puzzled
about this case OF Sir Roberts.
He's as sane as you or / upon most
points, but upon one particular tad
he's as mad as well, he S mad.
"Well, then, some ten days ago
or, to be exact, last Wednesday
week, l was sent for to see him.
have attended the family, off and
on, for years, but never Sir Robert.
His health has been exceptionally
good, and l have frequently re.
marked to Lady Pensmyth-you
recollect Mabel Caster, don't you7
that his life was such as an as
surance Office would covet.
came expecting to find that he had
a touch Of liver, or something of
that sort, but TO my amazement
there was nothing the matter with
him physically. He simply as
founded me by asserting that there
was a living insect inside his head,
and that it was slowly but surely
making an end of him. Now you
know well enough, Hartford, that
such a thing cannot be, and yet he
insists on this as a positive fact,
though he refuses to give any rea-
son for his belief. There's no
doubt that his BRAIN is affected in
some way, tor the agony which he
has undergone since Thursday
convinces me OF that, but l can
didlY admit cannot diagnose the
disease, The mans stark mad on
this question, and ! know oi no
one better qualified than yourself
to help me to look into it.
/ expressed my willingness to
assist my friend, and We together
went into Sir Roberts bedroom.
81 have brought DR.. Hartford to
see you, Sir Robert" said DR..
Wilson.
What, Jack Harford?" ex-
claimed the baronet, who was lying
on couch drawn up close to the
fire.
mo, not Jack. You will remem-
Der he died in India. This is his
younger brother, Philip"
'Well, it's all the same! I've
got this internal beetle eating away
the lite OF me, and none Of your
vexatlous drugs or treatment can
do me any good. Pm sorry, doc
tor, If have spoken too bruseuely,
but l know what is the matter with
me-and you don't"
Perhaps you will allow me, Sir
Robert, to ask you a question or
-" / began to say, when he
bounded of the sofa, with a scream
more like that which one might
imagine would emanate from a lost
soul than from any human being,
And then commenced the most
awful scene l have ever Witnessed
l have been present at The death
beds Of men who have been con-
sumed by the most painful of dis
eases; l have seen the last agonies
OF those who have been mangled
and crushed in accidents, where
every breath drawn has been but
a ProlongatiOn of eXcruciating tor
ment; but never could l have be-
lieVed it possible for one to under
60 such maddening tortures. such
intense anguish, as that which Sir
Robert Pensmyth was then endur-
ing. His eyes were almost forced
from their SOCKETS, huge beads OF
perspiration burst forth on his fore.
head, his teeth were guashing, his
features were hideousIy distorted,
and his whole body was quivering
with the severity Of the throes
which had surely seized him |
The sight was appalling in the ex- !
treme, and even to me, cool headed |
as | thought myself, it appeared as |
IT the Powers Of Darkness had |
united 70 wreak vengeance upon |
their unhappy victim, whose un
ceasing shrieks and wailings were |
sufficient TO unnerve the strongest |
man. For nearly halfan hour was |
this tragedy continued, and then |
utterly exhausted, the unhappy |
creature sank upon the floor, and, |
covering his face with his trem-
bling hands, moaned out. 1T |