Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-03-01

! misstatements to be found in the work in
respect to matters medical are extraordi-
nary and amusing. The word pictures of
hospital life and Of a nurses duties as
| portrayed III the description of Nurse
glory. while exhibiting the authors pow
er OF imagination in favorable light al
SO tend 10 show that his real knowledge
OF the subject is very little. The writer
| OF hction of the present dav does not APP
| pear TO advantage with many of the nov
| eilSts or the past generation in his ac-
qualntance and handling of medical sub
Jects, although it must be confessed that
among the dead giants Of romance there
| We're but few whose description of a dis
| ease was absolutely correct George Ell
| lot is without doubt entitled to first place
| in this list; her sketches of doctors and
| her statements in regard to the diseases
! OF winch she treats are drawn with a
mastery hand, and are as accurate as if
written for medical textbook Charles
| Kingsley again, in 1.-TWO Years Ago
traces the history of a cholera epidemic
with the utmost attention to technical
mnutiae. Thackeray also described the
course Of a malady as correctly as he did
the treatment pursued by the physicians
of mis- time. OF modern noveliSts Besant
IN the Ivory Gate gives an interesting
study of an obscure brain disease and as
he informs MS in the preface that he pro-
cured his medical information from a
competent doctor it may be taken for
granted that his statements are correct
Another point worthy of notice is the
Sindh NUMBER q diseases brought into
the service of the noVelists. At one time
brain fever was the universal faVorite
with typhoid q good second. and although
Wlthlh recent years heuroSis las 10 a GER
tain extent banished brain fever from its
proud position. yet the latter disease still
holdS It's own in fiction. That nervous
lfoStfatlnh Is much more likely to attack
the nero or heroine suffering from the
= If.F-f,1 ma 70 1.
the ordinary modern novel than is brain
ttNtf cannot be denied. Nevertheless
tlrf" are occasions when an author, in
order to eNtricatc himself from compli-
Gated situation. Is compelled 10 fan back
upon disease OF an acute nature: and
IN Such a prcdicament what 50 suitable
as brain fever or what convenient as
It's deIirious rawlings The fact has been
more IMAM ono" pointed out that there x
disease which has been strangely over
rocked. ana winch certainly deserves 20
ma more favor IN the eyes Of the novel
Isl IMAM mas hitherto been the ease. This
complaint Is pneumonia for. While ii full
MS an the conditions required By the now
eIiSt and 10 fuller extent than brain
ItNcf. II mas none nT the disagreed BILE as
Sorlations connected with typhoid. Pneu-
m"nld may b" termed an arStocratic dis
cas-" "hlle typhoid. though no respccter
81 persons. sun mas certain plebian fla |
N"r SaNorlnS Of foul-Smelling drains and |
tainted water. IN novels acute diseases
invariably end suddenly. Pneumonia ter !
inmates by CRISIS, the onset of the at |
tath IF sudden. me temperature is always |
hiSh: dchrum. Stupor. or complete un- |
cons i"USneSS Is a feature in Its progress. |
lhuS ~ this disease there is choice Of |
dramatic climax found in no other NAL |
ddY- wicked man can be cut off i'm the |
midst Of his sins. or good one can be
made Ia proVid" an edifying eath-bed |
scene. pneumonia may be recommended |
- aui hors a. a disease whose merits as