The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1910-03-23
Candied Fruits
By ARTHUR BINGHAM
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.

III Association III
When l started to practice medicine
there was one admOnition laid down
by the gentleman who delivered the
final address to our class when we
were graduated that had greatly i'm
pressed me. 1t was this:
Remember that mind has a great
effect over matter. Therefore try to
detract so far as possible from the
terror your patients naturally have
for you as practitioners. Above all
things, preserve a cheerful exterior.
The more hopeless a case appears to
you the more hopeful appear to be,
for by giving way TO your anticipa-
tons you lessen the patients chances
for recovery, and you may be wrong
in your prognOsis. Do not force pa
tients to take your remedies if it can
possibly be avoided. Rather persuade
them or banter them. Remedies taken
against a patients will are apt not to
act as remedies. Better a prescription
of something to divert the attention
from the disease than fix it on that
disease by unwelcome doses"
1t seemed to me that there was a
lot of common sense in this advice,
and 1 cut it out of the printed ad-
dress and pasted it within my writing
desk in order that whenever l opened
the desk l saw the injunction staring
me in the face, so that it was impos-
sible for me to forget it. 1 truly be-
lieve l would have built up large
practice by observing it had not that
very observation of it ON one occasion
led to my leaving the profession.
l had been practicing but a short
time when, returning to my Office one
day, I found a note from a stranger
stating that a member Of his family
needed treatment, but was much
averse to receiving a visit from a ply
stefan or taking remedies. He suggest
ed that | call without the patients
knowing thai l was a physician and
studying the case without asking for
symptoms after the stereotyped med
ical fashion.
This, owing to the rule 1 had laid
down, was very easy for me. l went
to the house, rang the bell and was
admitted to the drawing room, where
was received by a very thin woman
who did not appear to know my err
rand, so l told her of the note that
had been left at my office. She seemed
to be slow in understanding meat
any rate, for some reason, did not re-
spond very freely, making vague re-
marks such as Just So" "a doctOrT
IN see," indicating that she had not
been admitted to the confidence of the
person who had asked me to call
The lady went out of the room and,
presently returning, asked me to walk
upstairs. l did so and was ushered
into a bOudOir where sat a girl who
but for a slight paleness did not APP
pear in bad health. She was not even
In dishabille; but, the older woman
having left me with her, it was evil
dent that she was the patient. l went
in armed with my cheeriest smile, took
the girls hand as a matter Of civility,
thereby getting her pulse-it beat a
trife quicker than nOrmal-sat down
by her, said something to make her
laugh and saw that her tongue was
slightly coated. In this fashion rat
tied on, telling her stories and interest
ing her until had secured her conf
dence and predisposition in my favor.
Then l said abruptly:
But you're not looking very well
today"
Then she told me that her back was
troubling her and she slept badly and
mentioned symptoms that indicated to
me a condition very common and for
which there were a number of simple
remedies. When l went away l told
her that I would send her box of
candied fruit, a few of which l
thought she would like every day.
Then left her TO have some medicine
intended for her divided between
half n dozen real candied fruits and
sent them to her with my compliments.
| called again soon and asked the
lady who had received me how she
had managed to impose upon the
young lady that l was not doctor;
that it was important that should
know what story she had told in order
that what | should say would tally
with II. She told me not to worry
about that; she had given good rea-
son for my calls. | asked her If l was
to see the person who had left word
at my Office for me to treat the young
lady, and she said he was away and
would be away several weeks.
By the time he returned had made
love to my patient, and she had re-
sponded favorably. Indeed, she sent
me to nina mere form, she said-he
being her uncle, to ask for her hand.
| did so, announcing myself as the
physician he had asked to treat
member Of his family.
''Well," he asked, did you pull the
wool over the old girls eyes?'
l didn't understand what he meant
by the ''old" girl. but ! replied that
had succeeded admirably. 1 went on,
but when l said something about the
young lady he interrupted me.
"Young lady be hanged. She's fifty
i've"
1t came out that the elderly woman
was my intended patient | had given
myself away to her at my entrance,
and she had taken me to see the
young lady, asking her TO act in her
stead. The girl from pure mischief
consented TO do so, but there were
two of us hoist by our own petard.
The two older ones were brother and
sister; the girl was their niece, an
orphan and possessing fortune.
l married her, and she preferred
That devote myself to taking care of
her property rather than sending pc.
tents candied fruits.
Notice 10 Creditors.