The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-25
MY UNAVAILABLE
EDUCATION.


We women are handicapped "a tho
professions oy the fact that we may
marry. It's like building on founda.
tions that may crumble away. When
a man chooses career he knows that
! the more of Il family he gets the more
proficient he must be in his work. A
woman knows that even q husband is
liable to prevent her taking advantage
of years Of preparation.
Realizing this. | determined when I
began to study Medicine that would
never marry. My friends appeared
doubtful, saying that l was too good
looking to remain single. put this
down to fattery and pursued my
studies, then took hospital work.
On coming out of the hospital hung
out my shingle in quiet street. resolv-
ing to practice only among women and
children. ! hadn't been settled week
before l received call from an old
lady living directly opposite. who
wished me to go over to her house and
see her son. "The poor boy" she said.
"has always been strong and well till
four or five days ago, when he had
|
| him" Supposing from her words that
her son was boy, went over. There,
reclining on an easy chair, was young
man not less than twenty-five years
| old. He showed no outward signs Of
! illness, his color being good. though
| when l took his hand to test his heart
beat l found his pulse quite rapid.
asked him to give me his symptoms,
which he did in these words:
"a few days ago l was looking out
Of my window / remember the cir
cumstances well. 1t was about 2
o'clock. A cart was lum mbering up the
street. You opened your front door
| and went out Suddenly my heart,
which had always beat regularly. be.
gan to jump and flutter. fell back
on this chair and waited for the un-
usual action to subside. It finally did
so, but it returns every day and about
the same time"
"Do you drink coffee2"
"Yes."
"Stop It at once" ~ .,ta
"Liquors?"
occasionally" fn
"Stop them too"
Smoker T..
"He smokes all the time" his moth.
er put In.
"Stop smoking, but gradually-two
cigars day for awhile, then one and
finally none" e
He looked quite cut up, but said
presently, "Well, seeing it's you. Ill
do it, but there's no other doctor II
Christendom that could persuade me-"
That's the advantage Of q woman
physician" said the mother. Men
are dictatoriai and unsympathetic." y
l put my ear down on to the pa.
tents chest to hear the beating Of his
heart. 1t certainly beat rapidly, but l.
could hear no sounds denoting any or
ganic difficulty. told him that his
[ trouble was nervous and by following
my directions he would soon be free
from it. went away not expecting to
be called in again. 7
Within a week my patients mother
came over to say that her son, not
withstanding that he had followed my
recommendations, had daily recur.
rences of his trouble. l asked her
when they came on. and she said about
2 o'clock. This was the hour that !
went out on my afternoon round OF
professional calls, and l agreed to 60
In the next day to see the patient. L
went the next day directly from my
office across the street and found the
young man looking well enough, but
the action Of his heart was certainly
above the normal. ,f .E., ,g'-
Well, l attended him for several
months, his condition remaining much
the same. found my visits to him .
relief, for instead of talking about his
ailment he seemed to attach little Inn
portance to 1t and chatted delightfully."-
on other subjects. Many time when
visiting him would suddenly discover
that my time had been slipping away
and must curtail my afternoon calls.
Indeed, there were times when found
l had neglected some important case.
One afternoon when our meeting had
been especially delightful my patient
said to me: 'ss
81 have told you great deal about
my heart, but you have told me moth.
ing about yours. Mine beats wildly
whenever l see you go out on your
round of afternoon visits. At other
times 1t is normal. In other words, II
has beat for You ever since first saw
you leave your Office. would know II
yours does not beat for me-" 4jg
rose with dignity, not to say irrita
ton, and replied:
"Do you mean to tell me that yov
have been fooling me all this timer
"My heart Is affected"
"For-for me only?"
"For you only. l can't love but one
woman at one time"
Opposing currents struggled within
me. was vexed to have been treated
like a-well, like woman instead Of q
physician. Nevertheless l could not
keep down delicious sensation that I
was loved. However, l maintained Q
professional status. ''N
"My time" said curtly, 'is as valu-
able when visiting one whose inten-
tion is to make fool Of me as q pa