Smyrna times., 1912-07-31
ADoctor 'sStart
By CUTHBERT BROWN

medical student was to me wonder or
medical knowledge and skill.
Doctor" l said to the great prac-
titioner. what especial talent gave
you your present position at the head
Of your profession? Was it an ability
to diagnose cases, a knack for handling |
cases or a knowledge Of the nature OF
diseaseY
The doctor looked out of a window |
with a comical expression on his face. |
"Come, tell me. l know it was not |
luck"
"Not exactly"
"WeIl?"
"It was principally stupidity"
Nonsense"
''There's always a turning point in
every mans career. practiced for ten
years before that turning point came.
Before that l was driven from place to
place by losing some patient whose
case l couldn't make out or perhaps
blundering. In the last town l left
from such a cause had got fairly well
started. Then a small boy was brought
to me with a broken arm. l treated
him for a sprained wrist for three
weeks, when his mother discovered the
break. That ruined me for that place.
At any rate left.
"I came from there here, and for
several years was in a chronic state
of starvation. One evening l didn't
feel very we'll and thought 1 would
take a dose fixed for myself. By mis-
take got hold Of the wrong bottle and
took a big dose of laudanum. l didn't
know of it till 1 had got the stuff
down. and even then 1 wasn't sure.
was wondering what I'd better do
when a carriage was driven up to my
door by a coachman in livery. A hand
sOmely dressed young lady jumped out.
hurried up the steps and pulled the
bell violently. I ran down stairs, and
she gasped:
"'You a doctor? Come quick. Father
is dying.
81 ran back for my bag of medicines.
then got into the carriage with the
young lady and was driven to her
home. was beginning to grow stupid.
or 1 would have asked the girl for the
| patients symptoms. All the thinking
did was about myself, for l suspected
that l had swallowed poison. As soon
as | got to the house l asked for
! pitcher of water. drank a tumblerful
to dilute the stuff in my stomach and
went upstairs to the patient. He was
in great agony and was holding on to
his stomach with both hands, con
cluded his trouble was acute dyspep-
sia and. opening my bag, attempted
to get hold of a remedy for that trou-
| BILE.
II was by this time so far gone with
my own trouble that was unable to
get the bottle I used back into its place
in my satchel, so l dropped it on the
bottom. was sufficiently conscious to
know that must keep moving and
drink water. So called for it, init
mating that l wanted it for the pa
tent. and when it came for every glass
l drank myself gave him one.
'He stopped groaning and, closing
his eyes, was going to sleep when il
occurred to me that something might
have gone wrong. Instinctively / dive(
down into my satchel and pulled out
the bottle that had contained the dose
l had given him. Great heavens! II
was labeled laudanum.
without explaining to those in th'
room, got the patient out of bed-h'
was in his shirt-and began to wall
: him back and forth. Every few min
utes would stop at the water pitche
and pour some water down his throat
Meanwhile I was gradually recoverin
from the effects of my own dose ant
getting back my wits.
'The family. seeing the two OF u
staggering to and fro in the sick cham
Der, were nonplussed. They kept firin
questions at me, to which l paid n
attention. This frightened them all tn
more, and they made such an ado tina
1 ordered them all out Of the room.
81 walked the patient till l could sc
that he had recovered from the effect
Of the poison, then told the family {
keep him awake for another two hour
and left him. | went home. took
drug that 1 knew would brace me an
later went back to see how my patier
was getting on. found him sitting u
and looking fairly well
/ "'What was the trouble, doctor
asked his wife.
"'lt was the l was trying to thin
Of some ailment with a name tn;
would puzzle them and not commit n
when the patient forestalled me-
4 81 know what it was, he said.
was the lobster
| but why did you walk him baC
and forthr asked the lady.
- "'why. you see,' replied. the 10
ster was decayed and poisoned him
Y was obliged to give him powerful a
y tidote, which deadened the pain; bu
being a narcotic as well as dangerol
one at that. had let him go to sleep
would have died.
"Tsn't it wonderful exclaimed q
woman. how much the doctors know