The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-14

which is a genuine masterpiece. As the Emperot used to say about his great battle. it's pure metal this lesson; you can't indent it. This last interview, however. impressed me more than any thing else with Trousseau's superiority, although the subject which we discussed was only case of chronic nephritis, at- tended with certain complication of the nervous system. I must apologize for using technical terms. but l told you that the incidents occurred during my professional career. t.' t.'9 es"The patient had just passed through a n severe crisis, and Trousseau clearly explained to me why he considered his present acondition dangerous and feared | that recovery was impossible Still, he said in conclusion, we must do our best, and if you, carry out my instructions faithfully we may be able to overcome the disease once more. There's no time to be lost. You ought to start this even ing. Can your The eagerness with which replied that was ready to start at any moment seemed to please this in- defatigable man, who had never allowed
 himself any respite from toll.
 1T knew I could depend on you he said. You'll make a name for yourself, I'm sure you will. I won't live to see it. but I know you'll succeed, and I'm glad to know it. As he spoke he. rose and took my hand. I was about to speak, but he stopped me. and as we
 stood on the threshold he gave me this parting advice:-'On this occasion, and throughout your entire life, remember that you are bound by the oath. "Nec visa, nee audita. nee inteilecta." These words, I may explain. are attributed to Hippocrates, and signify that physi- clan, while attending a patient, ought not to remember or be influenced by any, thing which he sees or hears or which is otherwise brought to his notice. They were the last words which I heard from those lips that had so often uttered in- falIible diagnoses. ..--
 q was now convinced that I would never again see my excellent teacher. and I became so discouraged that could think Of nothing else during the entire afternoon. It was, only .wften.;I found myself in the train that I rerlembered his last words:--zsNec, visa. nee audita, nee irteliecta.s. Knowing. that he did not talk idly, I wondered why he laid such stress on this point Was 1t because in the house to which was going there was sbinething which I ought not to see? Was there danger that my patient in his delirfurn might say certain things which Isought not to hear and to which n was bound not to pay any attention? Was the disease from, which my patient was suffering connected in some way with tragedy, to the narrowing details of which I must close my eyes and ears? tried in vain to answer these ques- tions.
 'All knew about my patient was that he was the Count-as can't tell you his real name let us call him de Rocque- ville-and that he was then in his ances- tral castle, which was about eighteen Kilometres from Novelties, the second sta tion beyond Abbeville. I knew nothing more about him except that he had been an officer in the navy and was sixty-four years old. Trousseau had not told me whether he was a bachelor or married or a widower and had not mentioned any other members of the family. What nonsense" I said to myself. finally, ana with the natural carelessness of youth, after had wearied myself trying to solve these problems. Why should I ex- pect to see or hear anything unusual in this old castle? Nothing is more un- likely; in any case, the best thing can do now is to go to sleep
 Being young and healthy. had no difficulty in carrying out this last part of the program. I had left Paris at nine o'clock in the evening and when I got out of the train at the Noyelles station, at half-past three in the morning I felt quite refreshed. for I had slept almost as well as If had been at home. I finished my slumber in the carriage. which was Rocqueville Castle. at 'daybreak, I felt myself as well equipped for the difficult task before me as If had slept all night