Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-05-19
A DOCTORS DILEMMA. !.
Tho Way Aid Came to Him at Crit.
.5t.> ieai Moment. ,35

In "Some Professional Reminiscent
ces," by DR.. George r. Shrady Of New
York In the Journal of the American
Medical Association, the author reIates
the following experience in his early \
career: r, 5. 4,
After finishing my hospital inferno
ship and imagining that was well
prepared for the practice Of the noble
art, was summoned to a sick child /
In tenement. The little one was
lying In cradle. playing quite uncon-
cernedly with rag doll. .sNot very I
sick. J" l thought, ..but what can be the 1
matter with her?' 1 certainly had
never seen the like symptoms before.
There was general spotted eruption
over her face and other exposed places,
q raspiRg cough, bleared, lachrymose
eyes and profuse coryza, Not small
pox. was sure, nor its reputed rela-
ton, as had seen much Of both.
An ex-house surgeon Of New York
hospital must not be worsted BY such
q case as this. There is one thing
said I to myself: .'she is not going to
die In any event" Just then the grand
mother Of the child came from q wash
tub in an adjoining corner Of the room
and seriously added to my embarrass-
ment by squarely and rather disre-
specially, I thought, pumping out the;
question, "Docther, what Il the mather
with the choild r {sgs
For protection ]. gathered my CON
seriousness within myself, dropped my
countenance curtain and uneoncerned
manner, while / took out my prescrip-
ton book and pretended to be writing. I
found 1t very convenient at that time
not to hear her question. Still she
stood there dehantly, with her arms
akimbo, with smell Of suds and look Of
scorn, and repeated her patronizingly
insistent demand. No washarwoman
had ever dared to do so before.
It was nevertheless trimming to a
Cross sea with set sails and gather
ing storm. After all, she was only re-
peating my query. There was one 9th
CIR in that room that looked for the an
sWer more eagerly than she could Inn.
agine. To gain time he took refuge IN
dazed and distracted thought, adjust.
ed his stethoscope and mutely motion
ed the clamorous interloper to be 81
lent. $@ %%7Ea #..5s WI. 81
The barred chest showed more spots
The patient cried In fear, and due time
was consumed in quieting her. The re-
sponsibility Of the situation became
more and more oppressive. The sono..
rous grunts Of my critic overwhelmed
any possible abnormal ausculatory
signs. The only urgent thing was the
diagnosis The last resource was In
subterfuge and hypocrisy - anything
but humiliating acknowledgment Of
| ignorance. =
! Again, 'Docther, why don't you tell
me what is the mather with the
| choild?" |
sob, yes" said /. .The fact is you
would not understand it If gave the
name Of the disease. The Latin term is
conjunctivitis, and Of course that would
mean nothing to you"
Her supercilious and incredulous
smile I shall never forget. Her re-
Joinder was electric. A new light dis
PEELED the fog. "And is that the Latin
name for measles?'' said she.
| ! could have Rugged the woman,
suds and ALL, but my studied profess
sional reserve came to my relief. "No,
not the name for the measles, but I
thought You wanted to know what
allied her eyes" still the old woman
unconsciously saved me from utter de-
feat and gave me my first clinical DEM
onstration OF the disease. Since then
IL has always been my religious duty
to treat the grandmother in the sick
room with becoming consideration.