The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-09-03
THE HEART
OR THE LIVER ?


y young girl IN becoming morning
gown sat in an easy chair, her head
supported BY pillows. Her physicians
was beside her.
Doctor, you have been months treat<
ing me without doing me any good.
and now you are going abroad. T
suppose new physician viii have to
study my case all over again
I can write out a statement Of the
symptoms"
please do so.'
The doctor wrote:
The patients symptoms are similar 10
those resulting from nostalgia (homesick-
eess) religious monoInania or deep seated
grief She is troubled with melancholy.
supplemented in rare instances by spas
modic bursts Of happiness. All the organs
appear 10 be in a normal condition,
though ii IS medical fact that an organ
may be diseased and not show the dis
ease IN itself The symptoms IN this case
are those Of a diseased liver. have ex-
amined this organ, but found 10 especial
indications. II would not be professional
In me 10 suggest treatment 10 my sue
cessOr. r. NJ GURNEi. - d
Or. Tinkham succeeded Or. Quincy,
and at his first call the patient handed
him his predecessors statement. Or.
Tinkham took out his glasses, wiped
them on u fine cambria handkerchief.
read the paper carefully and sat with
1t in his hand mdsingly. Then he fold
ed it, slipped 1t IN his pocketbook and
wrote a prescription. When a doctor
writes a prescription II is evident that
something is being done. DR. Tink-
hams prescription was aqua pura,
/ with something In II to make it taste
pleasant. 1t was to satisfy the patient
and her family TIL he found time to
study the matter
The monthly meeting of the Medical
society occurred few evenings later,
| and DR.. Tinkham stated the case TO
the assembled members, reading to
them DR.. Gurney's catalogue of symp-
toms.
DR.. Spinney suggested that the pa
tent might be drifting into melancho-
liza and recommended that she be care
fully watched lest she do herself In
jury.
DR.. Thane-Brooks, liver specialist.
was of opinion that the cause was in
the gall ducts.
DR.. Kunzel, professor OF ophthalmol-
ogy in st. Luke's hospital. gave sew
eral instances that had come under his
observation wherein the same symp-
toms had resulted from defects OF
vision.
DR.. Busby, kidney specialist, said
that persons suffering from diseases In
his line manifested the same symp-
toms as the patient under discussion.
DR.. Cords suggested that the trouble
lay In the heart
DR.. Tinkham was disappointed in
not getting a unanimous opinion from
his associates and determined to de-
vote himself to studying the case and
discovering the cause If possible. The
next day he visited the patient. He
found her in one of the conditions
} mentioned by DR.. Quincy. She was In
a high state OF exhilaration. The pulse
was strong, the temperature normal.
and but for the exhilaration the pa
, tent seemed much improved. Having
asked If anything had excited her. the
doctor was informed that nothing un-
: usual had occurred She had had sew
eFai visitors, but none who was not
used to seeing her often. The doctor
r prescribed a sedative and went away
more puzzled than ever. Subsequently
he took several of his colleagues, spe-
cialists, to see the patient. Each pro-
nounced the disease result Of trouble
in the organs of which he had made a
study. Dr. Tinkham gave their views
5 to the father of the young lady, giving
4 his own opinion that DIR. Thane-
= Brooks, liver specialist. should be
e called in for consultation. DR.. Thane-
Brooks. though no marks of disease
could be detected in the organ, was of
opinion that the disease was there.
! The symptoms clearly indicated It. a
vigorous course OF liver treatment was
decided upon.
The patient failed TO endure the
Q treatment the stomach breaking down
0 under the quantities of medicine pour
ed into it. DR.. Yermaton, stomach soe-
: cialist, remarked facetiously that the
liver must be stronger than the stom-
ach and they would do well to look
for the seat of the disease in the latter
< organ.
: The case having baffled the doctors,
a trip was recommended. A trip for
: incurables serves several purposes. It
, takes the patient away from medicines,
gives change Of scene and air, and the
doctors are relieved. However, in this
6 case ell these benefits were aborted
{ from the fact that the patient would
|. not take a trip. She persisted In re
\ naming at home, subjected to the
e same routine each day, and each day
:, growing worse.
: But her physician, having recon-
mended a trip, considered himself not
further responsible One morning be
T received by the post letter from the
Q father of his former patient. It was
9 very causdc:
I beg leave to inform you-and through
Q vosr Ia voadieaI oauffa~rav7 xzyho vera fy,.