West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-10-09
THE DOCTOR WHO LEFT.
AMER . Brief But Busy Practice 1t
TURKEY Bend ~ phys, Surg.
and Doc"

Bend and no doctor within 30 miles
ofthe camp. Now and then miner
fell sick and died. but we argued
that his time had come and he
couldn't have been saved anyhow.
There was q pot Of tar for the cuts,
q pot Of grease for sprains and
bruises, and IL any one felt that
his internal economy needed
bracing up he went out and dug
bearwood or gathered bark from a
tree. II a miner was really III, his
tent mate nursed him as well as
possible, which consisted in wash
ing his feet cutting his hair and
asking him whether he wanted to be
burned on the hillside or in the
valley, but 1t was considered poin
OF honor not TO fall sick. Now and
then a stray doctor passed through
the Bend and left a few doses OF
calomel or quinine behind, but we
were not prepared for the surprise
when stranger sat down among us
one day and announced that he was
'Jim Ford, phys, surg and doc."
As far as his personal looks went,
he might have been taken for a
wagon driver who had got the
bounce and was picking up the next
best thing, but looks often belle
man in mining camp.
We rather liked the idea of
doctor coming among us, as it help
ed to dignity the camp, but old Joe
Hurry, who had been elected as
general boss" felt it his duty to
call upon the man and say:
"Look yere, stranger, ar ye will
ing to answer few questions about
yerselfa"
ooh, certainly" was the prompt
reply.
eye claim to be a regular doctor,
do yer"
al do, sir. l am a graduate of
six different colleges, and l have
practiced for 10 years in Illinois,
"That orter pass" said old Joe,
who didn't know whether the doctor
graduated from college or a wood
yard. "Got a stock of medicine
with yer"
Enough to last for year, sir.
Here, try my elixir for general
lassitude. It's my own compound,
and it works like charm"
He handed Joe pint bottle of
good whiskey, with a little winter
green rubbed on the cort to get up
an odor, and after taking a swig the
old man smiled all over his wrinkled
face and said:
II don't know nuthin' about
medicines, 'cept calomel and ONT
ments, but belive if was dyin'
that elixir would draw me back from
the grave. | reckond ye kin 60
right ahead and do bizness. II
thought at first that ye locked like a
man who'd run a sawmill or driv'
six mewl team, but / see l was mis-
tooken."
What old Joe thought and said
settled it for the rest of us, though
we didn't accept the newcomer quite
as literally as he did. The fact
was he looked more like teamster
than doctor, and his looks were
against him from top to bottom.
One OF the sick men in camp lust
then was named Bill CARING. He
had chills and fever and had got
down rather weak. He sent for the
"Phys, surg and doc" and three or
four miners were assembled to
hear the diagnosis. The doctor
looked as dignified as a clam as he
sat down and counted Bills pulse
by an old silver watch which hadn't
licked for months, and after finding
II anywhere from 100 to 500 he
asked for sight of the tongue. Bill
stuck 1t out for survey, and with
solemn shake of the head the doctor
said:
"My man, you may be beyond
the reach of human skill, but I'll try
to save you. You are on the verge
OF the grave. Your lungs and liver
have all run together and got mixed
up, while your gall has busted and
overlooked your heart"
That scared Bill half to death,
and ne began to weep, but after
taking one dose Of that elixir he re.
covered his nerve. He was given
six doses day for week, and
perhaps quinine added, and at the
end OF that time he was able to be
out 1t was looked upon as a
miraculous cure. The doctor said
he caught the case just right II he
bad been 10 seconds later, he never
could have untangIed that liver from
the lungs and got that busted gall
into working order again.