The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-17
Dr.. Smiths Thought-PiIIs,

/
miseration on the Iamentable appearance
of the patient. Mrs. Hollis was a mem.
Der of the local Ethical society who hai
lately absorbed some leading features. OF
the mind-cure doctrine. but who had not
advanced so far as to discard all medica-
advice. In minor ailments she adhered
TO the school, but her courage failed
when disorders were more ominous
Hence her presence in the consulting
room.
The resemblance was so extraordinary
as 10 misIead me-" replied the doctor Il
have never seen more perfect simula-
ton. now perceive the power of thought
to produce phenomena in matter. Your
thought must be very bad ne added re-
fectively, gazing again at the Redeemed
face and streaming eyes of the sufferer.
Mrs. Hollis WINGED little at this. Not
as bad as if 1 had pneumonia she re-
turned with touch of asperity. But
how are you going TO treat me?"
With thought pills. said the doctor.
Thought pilsi' exclaimed Mrs Hollis.
Yes" said he, with thought pills. ]
should not feel justified in stopping at
anything short of them"
Il never heard of them. Are they to
be taken internally?"
"Of course" replied the doctor. your
| thoughts are inside of you, and so must
root of the matter. And now ne went
on, Il will ask you to excuse me few
| moments while L prepare them in the
pharmacy. 1 will not be long. Do not
give a thought to the pills while 1 am
gone. That will come later on
1t was all very well to decree that the
pills were ID be excluded from Mrs. Hollis
| mind, but this was soon found an impos-
| sibility. Struggle as she might, no other
! topic could be maintained. She tried to
! think of the children's dinner and of the
! trimming of her new gown, but in vain.
| The pills swept everything before them,
so to speak What they were like, how
! they were compounded, what was the
| rationale of their operation, these We're
! questions which succeeded each other in
Mrs. Hollis brain and excited thrills Of
| speculation. Whatever may have been
| the doctors motive in prohibition, the
| pills had certainly effected a Judgment
and were by no means to be expelled. A
! slight misgiving did for a moment rise as
! she remembered that Dr. Smith had some
reputation a wag, but he was too evil
IDENTIFY serious at the time for the mis-
giving to enlarge into suspicion. 1t was
at. this moment that he returned.
Il will explain to you exactly what you
must do said the doctor, as he seated
himself by the patient and opened little
box. 1t contained four pills, three Of
quite ordinary size and color, but the
fourth much larger and very dark. The
three smaller pills are not to be taken
until bedtime, but their action begins at
once. The great point is that you are to
follow unhesitatingly any course to which
they prompt. They are thought pills ie-
member. At dinner, for instance, YOU
will find no repugnance to a plate OF soup
or to any quantity of fruit, but the III
slant any other dish is before you and
you think of the pills you will ha. e no
wish to eat it. Before going to bed take
the three pills and put your mind upon
them. The fourth is to be taken before
breakfast. Probably you will be unable
to go beyond coffee and fruit. Come ami
see me late in the afternoon"
But what is the philosophy Of the p;"s,
doctor?" asked Mrs. Hollis.
They have a two-fold aspect he re-
piled. ~ should not like to use the wo-d
duplicity''-this with a hardly perceptible
twinkle of the eye-'we will cal it du-
plexness. They project into concrete OBJ
jectivity the essences and powers IF the
supra physical plane, and thus show mat
ter as pole of the immaterial. But it is
the reflex action on which I lay most
stress. They, as it were, restore the
concrete to the abstract. Thought is ev-
L
universe can be mirrored in an atom,
much more so in a Dill.'
This certainly had the orthodox sound.
The ring of the true mind-cure doctrine
was there. Even unintelligibility was
fairly well preserved. Mrs. Hollis was
to some extent treasured. She hardly
liked to ask the doctor whether he also
was a disciple, but it was clear that he
was a student.
But how about the rest of the time?"
she inquired. Am 1 to think Of the
pills all the while?'
Il should not consider that essential"
said the doctor. after a moments refiec-
ton. But thought at meals and at
night is vital"
Il am not quite sure whether I ought
to be taking medicine of any kind Mrs.
Hollis remarked, as she held the box ir-
resolutely in her hand.
But these are thought pills" said the
doctor.
OH said She
Dinner turned out precisely as DR.. Smith
had foretold. The soup was certainly pal
atable, but thought of the pills was a
bar to fish. Are you not well, my dear?"
asked Mr.. Hollis, as she declined It.
Yes" she said, Il am quite well. but I
have a dreadful Co, that is, mean,
no, not any fish" Mr. Hollis observed
that every dish went untasted save the
berries, of which his wife consumed three
plates. But ne was wise WIKI years of
matrimony, and knew that the mystery
would be unveiled If patience was allow
ed her perfect work.
Mrs. Hollis was faithful in all respects
to the directions. The thcee pills were
duly taken at bedtime and her mind con-
centrated ther. on till sleep oveIcame ner.
Il ne N 4
she awOke far earlier than was custom
AIRY. but certainly improvement: had be- /
gun. The fourth pill was more dEfCicyit /
to swallow. and she had 10 bite 1t. il 1
had a slight taste. not unlike tfat # I
Boston brown bread. by no means IN /
pleasant Nor was the Doctors provision 4
less aCcuate respecting breakfast The /
thought pills did seem to efface all wish /
for everything beyond coffee and fruit. /
As the day went on the symptoms stead /
lily bettered The head was less choked. /
and the cheeks were not so red and /.
swollen, eyes and nose were palpably on (
the mend. X was in far more pleasing 4
condition that she repaired to the consult (
ing room late IN the afternoon. Little OF (
moment, however. occurred Dr., Smith 1
expressed great satisfaction at her rapid 4
recovery. and she was cordial in att@sts- /
ton Of the merit in thought pills. But /
tell NE, doctor" she asked, is Il you /
who put the potency Of thought into the I
pills. or 70
The powers OF nature often interpsne- .
traJe." said the doctor. and we accept !
the outcome Of causative action whi +
unable TO assign DropoTtionate value 10 /
each"
Mr. Hollis was no less grstified AZ the .
quick improvement in his wife and ia
the library after dinner led The way 70 an .
account OF the treatment. A the nara
ZION proceeded he became more and more
interested ard intent. though A. times q