The Afro-American advance., 1900-05-26
PATIENTS WHO ARE sTINcY.
People who need the omees Of Ph,.
sIcians soreiy Hst object
Go the Fees.

Il
Probably few patients have carried
parsimony TO the height pursued by
a certain baronet. Sir William smyfh,
who, although immensely rich. was
never happier than when trying to
evade doctors bills. For instance,
says the New York Herald, he once
made bargain with a great aculist
70 couch both his eyes. agreeing TO pay
go gnineas II his sight was at all re-
stored TO him. The operation was
made and proved so successful that he
vas enabled to read without glasses.
No sooner. however. was this state
of affairs reached, than the miseriy
baronet began to grieve at the thought
OF paying the promised fee. and he
therefore pretended that lie could see
nothing distinctly, and. to sustain the
pretense, he submitted TO wearing the
baBdages for some weeks over the
usual period. When the time expired
he still contended that he had only
the faintest glimmering Of light. with
the result that the badgered physician
compromised the business By accept
ing ~ RutEsHs INSTEAD OF 60.
Cases Of this kind are by no means
rare In the experience Of medical prac-
titioners. 4 doctor attended patient
for influenza Of rather bad type, and
when the cure was completed sent In
bis bill at the ordinary rates. IL was.
however. returned to him with note
from his late patient limiting that, as
the influenza was at the time in the
nature OF an epidemic, and the doctor
had doubtless reapNd considerable
benefit from II. he ought to make
considerable reduction in his bill In
view thereof. However, the physician
did not fall in with this eccentric and
stinRy proposition, and eventually the
bill was paid as 1t stood, though not
without many more protests from the
payer.
Another patient. who prided himself
ON his medical knowledge. WIS in the
habit Of making suggestions TO the
doctor who attended him during i'll
ness, which suggestions the doctor
would sometimes good nAturedly
adopt, more for the sake Of gratifying
the patient than for any Other reason.
Judge OF the medlco's astonishment,
however, when the amateur Hippo.
crates actually refused 10 pay more
than half the bin on the grounds that
ut least 80 per cent. of the cure had
been due 20 his unnidsd suggestions
In the treatment"
Audaeity and penuriousness could
hardly have gone further than this.
and under the circumstances IL IL not
surprising that the physician Tot only
insisted on full payment, but refused
10 attend the gentleman further.
Specialists can tell many tales OF |
parsimony In the people who consult |
them. An eminent lung physician once
received visit from "A Sussex farmer, |
whose trouble proved TO be merely |
imaginary. and whose mind was soon |
NJ rest. On his departure he offered |
ihe specialist FIVE shillinps. and on the |
latter pointing out that his fee was |
two guinens, the worthy agrlculturlst |
scratched his head and said that he |
such sum far too much |
Tor telling a man he had nothing the |
matter with him."
Another gentleman OF similar ten
feneies, who consulted IN ear special |
Ist, was thunder stricken when asked |
for fee OF one guinea, as he ayerred |
that scarcely three minutes had been
consumed In the consultation. The |
doctor pointed out that II had taken
him over 30 years 10 obtain the ex-
Derience which condensed consulta-
tion into three minutes. but the obsti-
nate consultant refused to take this |
view, aud eventually prevailed upon
the physician 10 accept half the sum
II may be added that this |
person was in receipt of /
nm income that ran into many thou
snnla t,an aVuuf.,