The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-13
TRACELESS
TABLETS
BY LUCY K. wYNcooP


meeting of the c. Medical society DIR.
blanchard, who had just returned from
trip to India announced that during
his stay there he had made a study of
poisons, certain rajah whom he
had visited possessed the secret of a
certain poison that left no trace.
though it was very deadly. The rajah
had given him the name of the poison.
but the doctor declined to make 1t
known.
Blanchard became the recipient
through the mail of stray requests for
the name of the poison. Some pro-
fessed to be scientific men. some physi-
clans. while some desired to get rid Of
vermln and insects The doctor. who
attributed these requests to desire to
get rid Of some enemy. was astonished
at the number OF would be murderers
The idea occurred to him to give out
the prescription with view to discov-
ering how many persons would use 1t
and for what purpose He consulted
with the chief of police. who was
friendly to the idea. then inserted a
small advertisement as follows:
DIR. Blanchard's traceless tablets. This
is drug the name of which was given
Or. Blanchard by rajah of India. 1t Is
beneficial in exterminating vermin. leav-
ing no disagreeable results-no trace what
ever Address Box i49, r Q.
The number of persons who desired
the traceless tablets for discriminating
purposes was remarkable. The doctor
could have made fortune in very
short time by supplying the demand.
He simply read the letters. then put
them In a pigeon hole in his desk to be
submitted to the chief of police. How
many of them occasioned police inves-
tigation the doctor never knew.
There was one that interested the
doctor especially and which he kept to
himself 1t was. or at least purported
TO be. from n young girl who was af-
fictcd with long and painful Illness.
who desired to die. But she shrank
from giving her parents the shock that
would attend her suicide She had
read of DR.. Blanchard's announcement
to the medical society and inferred that
the traceless tablets were the poison
there referred to. She might use them
aud her dear father and mother would
suppose she had died q natural death.
Among the number of applications
for his tablets this was the only one
the doctor credited with the truth.
There was something so pathetic and
frank 10 it that he at once set down
the reason given as genuine. At any
rate. be determined to call upon the
writer for personal Interview.
He found Miss Ethel Ames young
lady 'of twenty There was In her
pale face very spiritual expression.
Her eyes were really windows to a
pure soul. and 1t was plain that II
blessed with health she would have
been comedy. The doctor. not caring |
at once to appear In his true light,
told her that he had come to see her I
about one of his tablets, but owing to
the great risk incurred in such trade |
his price was 500. He hoped that
by putting the price so high to put her
off. at least till he could diagnose her
case. But he failed. She asked him
to hand her a check book In drawer |
near him that she might close the
trade.
Blanchard. unwilling to risk disabus-
Ing her mind as to his intentions, took
the check. put 1t in his portmanteau
and. taking a tablet made Of sugar
and -four from his pocket. laid 1t on
table beside him. Then he asked
the girl to give him her symptoms.
This she did. and after a great many
questions and answers be made up
his mind that hers was one of those
cases where mind dominates matter
to the disadvantage of the latter. In
other words. she was unconsciously
producing upon herself an imaginary
disease.
There is no physical ailment that Is
so rarely treated successfully by ply
sicians and so often put to flight by
the various methods that are depend
ent upon faith alone as this. DR..
Blanchard saw an opportunity for an
experiment. When he had gained all
the knowledge of the girls condition
he desired he said:
"The rajah from whom / received
the name of this drug told me that
one OF his household who was I'll and
whose symptoms as he described them
to me were exactly the same as yours
was so much trouble without being of
any use, even to herself. that he d.
rected she be poisoned She was given
\ tablet such as l furnish you ard
went to sleep. She awoke. TO the sur
prise of every one. and was completely
rured of her disease. All other persons
who had taken it slept the sleep of
reath. | would advise you,to take the
tablet tonight, and you will either
wake up In heaven or a healthy wo-
nan. prophesy the latter to be
why are you so sure of that. doc
orr" asked the patient eagerly.
Because my friend the rajah had 1t
ried on 1874 cases similar to yours. and
very one was cured"
The doctor left his patient with the
that If she took the tab
ct she would be well. but to guard Ii
rom others. for they would surely die
lnder its influence. He told her that
lie would call on the morrow and as
urely expected TO find her alive and