Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-10-04
His Start
He Got 1t by Luck and
Assurance
BY F. A. mitchell

At a meeting OF the Booneton Medi-
cal society. there not being n quorum.
half u dozen doctors sat around chat
ting The conversation fell upon the
new science of medicine. which prac-
tically had its beginning In the invcs-
legations of NJ. Pasteur. and is making
great Roadway in those experiments
carried Oh by scientists who devote
themselves TO original research. Com
mcntiug on the great change scientific
research has wrought In the medical
profession. DR. Elderkin, retired ply
stefan. told the following story.
When | started to practice. though
IL was In the latter half of the nine
tccnth century. our profession had lag
eed far behind the progressive spirit
OF the times Though we are still
wocfully ignorant we know far more
than we did then. and when we re-
member that we had Mt that time but
recently advanced beyond the univer
sal remedy of bloodletting. originally
practiccd by the barber who shaved
our ancestors we get some idea of the
low condition of the science of medi-
cine half u century ago.
Being naturally of a scientific mind.
realized this. Upon finishing my
course AT the medical college ! was
surprised that there was so little really
known. Indeed. beyond the fact that
vaccination will prevent smallpox.
don't remember single certainty in
medicine that | mad lenrncd In my col.
lcgc course What difference from
the present. when we have antitoxins
that work with absolute certainty: the
y ray. by which TO look into the hu-
man body. and have proved that dis
eases are transmitted by the fly and
the mosquito.
settled In this very town and hung
out my shinglc. Experience was then
the doctors best card. A bald head.
a pair OF mutton chop gray whiskers.
presence that bespoke wisdom-thcse
were sure TO bring success TO any prac-
titioner. This impressive person of
half century ago did not know one
tenth MS much us the poorest student
In class graduating in a medical
| school today But since there was
nothing but experience on which TO
base confidence. the old practitioner
had IL all his own way. and the young
man had no show at all
! looked like a boy and was treated
/ hnx faR Il f.,aN
! darkcn my doors. was socially well
received by the young people of town
! and formed the acquaintance Of a mum.
Der OF young girls. who thought me
n nice little fellow and snickercd
when they called me doctor their idea
OF n physician being the elderly party
| have mentioned. One of these young
Indies admired very much and
thought that if | could marry her pos
sibly ! might inspire some confidence
and make a beginning. But she was
the daughter Of the principal man In
the place. John Parkinson. and there
was an awful gap between her and 4
towheaded. blue eyed doctor who didn't
look old enough To treat q cat. AS 60
! being called in to treat Mr. Parkinson
or any member of her family. there
was no more chance of that than being
struck by lightning.
His family physician. DR. Swim.
bourne, in his younger days had bled
his patients for every disease. and 50
welded was he to the treatment that
he still carried lancet In his medical
case. The larkinsons revered him rs
man of great experience and he was
supposed 10 have n wonderful advan-
! tage In knowing the constitution of
every member Of the family. includ.
ing the last child born. who was but
eight months old aud sound as n nut.
The chance Of my supplanting this M.
gust person as physician IN the house
hold was as remote as being called
upon 10 treat the president of the Unit
ed States
But no matter how firm one Is set.
tied on any soft spot let him beware
OF being undermined His very great.
ness is liable To give his competitor u
chance. Mr. Parkinson was fond OF
horses and owned some valuable stock.
One OF his animals was sired by II
racer and had cost $1,000. One day
this horse was taken sick Would his
owner insult the great SwInbourne by
asking him 10 treat horse? Never. A
veterinary surgeon was called in. II l.
quite likely thai he knew as much
about what allied the horse and how
TO cure him rs the NJ. D.-he certain
| ~ knew as much ns did-but. despite
his valuable efforts. the animal grew
worse and the veterinary finally gave
him NJ ~ Il candidate for button and
| glue material.
Mr.. Parkinson was one of those per
sisieni men who never say die. and II
occurred To him that might not feel
very much imSnlied AT being called In
10 treat a horse But he could afford
to insult me. though he could not AZ
ford TO Insult his physician. For II
any of the family were taken III and