New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-07
DOCTOR TAINTED TO KNOW
Hoe lid Came to Him at a Critical
MOmcHt

In some Professional "reminiscences" by DR..
George f. Shrady. of this city. in The Journal
Of the American Medical Association" the author
relates the following experience in his early
career.
After finishing my hospital interneship and
Imagining that ! was we'll prepared for the prac-
tce Of the noble art was summoned to sick
child in a tenement. The little lying IN
a cradle, playing quite unconcernedly witha
rag doll Not very sick" / thought: but what
be the matter with herr 1 certainly had
never seen the like symptoms before. There was
a general spotted eruption over her face and
other exposed places. "A rasping cough. bleared.
lachrymose eyes and profuse coryza. Not
l had much of both.
An ex-house surgeon of New York Hospital
must not be wOrsted by such as this.
There is one thing" said TO myself. she is
not going to die in any event" Just then the
grandmother OF the child came from Washtub
I'm an adjoining corner Of the room and seriously
ADDED TO my embarrassIIleht by squarely ana
rather disrespectfully. l thought, Pumping out
the question: "Docther. what is the mather with
For self protection l gathered my conscious
ness within myself dropped my Countenance
curtain and manifested a duly abstracted air
and uncOncerned manner. while l took out my
prescription book and pretended TO be writing.
1 found It very convenient at that time not to
hear her question. Still she stood there defiantly.
with her arms akmbO, with smell Of suds and
look OF scOrn. and repeated her patronizingly
insistent demand. No washerwOman had ever
dared to do before.
It was nevertheless trimming to cross sea
with set sails and q gathering storm. After all,
she was only repeating my query. There was
one other in that room that looked for the
answer more eagerly than she could imagine.
TO gain time he took refuge in dazed and alb
stracted Thought, adjusted his stethoscope and
mutely motloned the clamorous interloper 10 be
silent.
The barred chest showed more spots The pa
tient cried In fear, and due time was consumed
in quieting her The responsibility of the stu
alton became more and more oppressive. The
sonorous Srunts Of my critic overwhelmed any
possibly abnormal ausculatory signs The only
urgent thing was the diagnosis. The last re-
source was I'm subterfuge and hypocrisy; any
thing but humiliating Acknowledgement Of iiy-
noranCe
Again: "Docther why don't YOU tell me what
Is the mather with the cholld?"
%, yes. said l; 1.-THE fact is you would not
understand it II I gave the name of the disease
The Latin term is conjunctivitls. and of course
that would mean nothing to YOU
Her SuperCilious and increduIous smile shall
never forget. Her rejoinder was electric
new light dIspelled the fog and Is that the
Latin name for measles?'' said she.
could nave Rugged the woman, suds and all
sui my rsudieS professional reserve came to my
reuef NO not the name for the measles but
thougnt you wanted 10 know what allied her
eyes. Stili the old woman unconsciously saved
me from utter defeat and gave me my first
CYNICAL demonstration of the disease Since
lhen IL mas always been my religious duty To
treat the grandmother In the sick room with
becoming consideration