The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-17
"DopEDy HIS COFFEE,
Queer Experience with a TOo-SOlfci-
tous Old LandIady.
New Orleans Times-Democrat

NEW OEledHS llIIeS-OtiuOCIdl
"A week ago." said a New Orleans physi-
clan the other evening, 81 felt convinced
that had stumbled across one OF the big
gest sensations of the day. Since then the
case has developed in an entirely unantici-
pated direction, but all the same 1t makes
a pretty good story. I'll tell it to you in
few words: One of my patients is bache-
Tor business man who has been lodging for
number OF years In a quiet Old mansion
not great distance from Lee circle. His
landlady is a delightful, motherly old crea-
ture who has learned to take as much In
terest in him as If, he was her own son,
and altogether he is very comfortably
fixed. About three weeks ago he came TO
me looking decidedly i'll and complained of
a singular stomach disturbance He said
that distressing feeling OF nausea set in
headache. 1t would wear OFF gradually dur
ing the day, and he would go to bed feeling
first class but next morning the same thing
wouiu be repeated; l knew him to Pea De a
surprised. Still attached no great impor-
lance to the matter and dismissed him with
some simple remedy. In five or six days
he came back looking much worse. and
told the same story, declaring he couldn't
eat and was rapidly losing strength. Then
/ took up the matter seriously, made close
inquiry into his diet and so on. and, to be
frank, ! Immediately suspected poisoning
He told me the first thing he did on
awakening was to drink cup of coffee.
prepared by his old landlady herself, and
onended him greatly by asking him 10
quietly pour the contents of the cup into
a bottle next morning and bring 1T to me.
why, you don't think he began, brist-
ling up. Keep COOL said i; i think there
may be something wrong with the coffee
pot; that's ALL Bring me the bottle and
say nothing TO anybody.
Next day he came around with the cof-
fee" continued the doctor, and admitted
attack of nausea made chemical
analysis of the stuff and found CONSIDER
able quantity of a familiar drug, harmless
enough as occasional medicine, put certain
to produce the gravest gastric disturbances
If persisted in While / had half-expected
something of the kind, was deeply shocked
and don't mind admitting / Was also
considerably excited. The drug could not
possibly have got into the coffee by ac-
cident, and as no one else about the house
had suffered. il looked very much like a
deliberate poisoning plot against my pa
tent. He himself was so Mortified and up
set that he was simply incapable of giving
sane advice, and L was forced to take the
matter into my own hands. The upShot of
II was that l put on my hat hat, and nd, went d
landlady. | knew her only slightly, and she
looked greatly Surprised when l asked ,tb to
see her alone ss Mrs .so oLos l M sad. WITH.
morning coffee?' When 1 asked that ques-
ton L thought the old lady would faint.
Her face went as white as paper and her
hands began TO tremble so violently she
self DOCTOR she managed TO reply. What
do you put in it besides coffee?' I asked.
She looked at me appealingly and burst
into tears. Then the whole absurd, pitiful
story came out. The dear old lady is a
Prohibition fanatic, and in some way-the
Lord only knows how-she conceived the
idea that her lodger was gradually going
to the dogs through strong drink. AS a
matter OF fact, he is man who drinks
very. very moderately and was never
drunk in his life-it doesn't happen TO be
his weak spot But she felt certain. she
said. that the habit would grow. and when
one of her old lady friends told her in strict
confidence OF a preparation which would
destroy the craving and could be admin
istered in secret in coffee she decided il was
her duty TO give it trial. The rest you
know. She told me this between sobs, and
relieved her greatly by bursting into a
roar of laughter. 1t was really too funny.
At the same time Ii had its serious SIDE
and when l explained the risk she had been
running she badly frightened as
she ever will be in life. My patient was
furious at the outset, but he realized on
reflection that the act had been prompted
by the kindliest solicitude. and he was gen.
erous enough to treat IL as a Joke One
thing is certain, however-he will get up-
doped coffee in future