The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-19

once upon n time Nnere uWell III
Providence two physicians OF excellent
ability. At all events. so far as public
sentiment could give it. One was Lewis
Leprellette Miller. the other David S. c.
III. Smith. Both were men long passed
the meridian OF life, when Miller ac-
costed Smith in a shop one day with:
"well. doctor, how are things with
your" Smith replied, "Well, doctor,
don't know. AS matter OF fact. i don't
know OF but one disease which i can
positively cure" what is it?' said
Miller. AN invarted toe nail.' replied
Smith. "How do you cure it?" asked
Miller. "Put the toe on a chopping
block and use the axe" said Smith.
These two men had practiced medicine
Gas 1t IL called) here most successfully
for nearly half century. A physician
from a neighboring city related recent
ly this case to the writer: A lady called
him and complained that what had
caused II she did not know. but she
had lost control OF the muscular action
of her great toe upon her right foot.
Indeed" said the doctor. that is sim
gular. Let me examine it," and forth
with the handsome foot was planted
naked upon the carpet. Suddenly with
tone OF severity the doctor said: Lift
that toe" And UP 1t instantly went.
PUT that toe down." said the doctor,
and down the toe went. "Now keep do
ing So" said the doctor, and went his
way. That may be common sense, but 1t
is not business. An innocuous lotion
should have been prescribed. and daily
visits made, for fourteen days. TO the
end that a check for $500 would have
settled the bill, and wrought cure, and
given satisfaction to the patient"
There is literally no end TO anecdotes of
this kind which we might relate. for
fresh lot. Just now there comes in the
Brooklyn Times a capital collection
concerning DIR. Gruby, who died recent
~ at Dresden. Germany.
Some curious stories about the pre-
scriptions of the late DR. Gruby. a ply
sician whose name is widely known be-
cause among other reasons, he was the
doctor present at Heine's death, are
told in the German Medical Weekly He
was rather OF mystic. and believed
much In the power OF suggestion"
when ne began TO practice medicine his
prescriptions were extremely odd and
original; they were OF dietetic- hygien-
&c character--exercise abstinence, -oc-
cupation-and, knowing that such sim
pie advice was seldom obeyed DR..
Gruby mixed IL with little comedy for
each patient. One prescription was only
a little aromatic gum water, together
with an order TO walk every morning
before sunrise from the Bastile to the
Madeline. the patient at every sixty
eighth step 10 crack grape kernel be-
tween his teeth. Another patient was
ordered to mount his dining table three
times a day and bend his body back
ward for seven and half minutes at
a time. One prescription was 10 swal-
low two raw eggs with exactly forty
seven grams OF salt every evening. A
nervous idler was ordered 20 take an
apartment of four rooms on the fifth
story of house. to have the rooms pa
pered IN a different shade OF green. each
with a different pattern. the patient
himself choosing both apartments and
papers and experimenting all the work.
At the end OF four weeks the patient
called again on the doctor as ordered,
and was found almost perfectly cured.
DIR. Gruby was consulted by many
distinguished people besides Heine;
Georges Sand. Marshal MacMahon. Du-
mas the elder. Daudet, Thomas. Chopin
and Liszt were among his patients. AL
exander Dumas relating that. being af-
nicted with Insomnia, he consulted Cru
by who ordered him TO take the 4:40 y.
m. train TO ST. Lazaire and go TO Yer
saIlles and back. assuring him that he
was sure 10 sleep on the return journey.
Dumas said that was nonsense and left
IN hun. but soon after. being near ST.
Lassire at the time mentioned; he en-