The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-03-14
Chinese System q Failure.

|
ary when he gets sick, always struck
me as being singularly sensible" said
one of the tenants of big office build
ing yesterday. "You see, it gives q
doctor every incentive to make an un-
avoidablc illness as brief as possible,
while our method of paying while we
are disabled offers just the opposite
inducemcnt. OF course, DON mean
to say that any reputable practitioner
would deliberately keep patient laid
up for the sake Of his fee, but the temp
tation is certainly mighty strong, and
last New Years, after settling a
whopping big bill for the preceding
quarter, | made up my mind to give
the Chinese system a trial-just as an
interesting experiment. 1 was afraid
to make the proposition to my regular
physician, who is very stiff-n .cked
old-tiner, and would probably have
Drained me with stethoscope under
the impression that I was impugning
his honor, SO hunted upa very earn
est, able young doctor whom 1 knew
to be struggling hard to get a foot
hold, and laic the scheme before him.
I'm in delicate health said, and
your profession generally gets good
deal of my money from one years end
to anothc., besides penning me up in
bed and preventing me from attend
ing to business. Now, I'll give you
$3.50 moth as long as you keep
me well. If I get sick, your pay stops
until I'm up again He thought
moment and accepted"
"Well, how did it turn out?' asked
one of group Of listeners. I'm just
coming to that, replied the speaker.
"For week or 80 it worked all right.
The doctor dropped in once or twice to
look me over casually, and I had
pleasant feeling that some one was
vitally interested in seeing that kept
well. Then came the first unpleasant
experience. We had rainy day and
l was hurrying up Canal street toward
the Office when man suddenly pounc-
ed on me and dragged me into hall
way. It was the doctor. Good
heavens! he fairly yelled, where are
your rubbers?' I don't know I
stammcred. startled half out of my
wits. rrhcn, give me the money to
buy you pair at once, he said, or
you'll be down with pneumonia and
I'll lose whole months wages He
was 80 fierce that I shelled out and
missed several important engagements
while | waited. A few nights after
ward | was quietly eating rum ONE
lette in restaurant, when who should
rush up but that same confounded
doctor. Rum omelette!' he gasped,
turning pale as death Why, man
alivel do sou want to take the bread
right out Of my MOUTH and with that
he grabbed the omelcttr and ordered
me some tea and toast. Your diges-
tive oEssns are very sensitive he
said, 'and an attack of gastritis would
mean eight or ten dollars out of my
pocket. I'm poor man, said he,
and l can't afford to take any such
chances. It wouldn't be just to my
family. ! ate the tea and toast,
which l abominatc, and began to won
der whether the Chinese system was
quite as much Of @ cinch as it seemed
at long range. Well, won bore you
with oil the details, but give you my
word that for the next two weeks
suffered mer.yraom. That internal
doctor was continually bobbing up at
unexpected places, determined to keep
me well or perish in the attempt. At
last hs passed the limit. was at the
theatre with party of friends, and
by some horrible fatality he was set
ting in the next row. He kept shift
ing about uneasily, and finally, right
in the midst of the performance, he
leaned over and whispered hoarsely.
Say, did you remember to put on
your chest protector?' Everybody
near us Uttered and 1 yearned for his
gore. Next day 1 fred him. have
gone back to the old system. It's
crude, I admit, and open to abuses,
but that mans rampant solicitude was
undermining my health"
An Atlanta Reaknr bee wa.aa .e o..s..