Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-02-21
YouNe MfuCos EXPERIENCE As TROPICAL GERM ExTWGUsHER

AS this story has to do with a real
man and not pipe dream, occasioned
by an overdose of tropical sunshine, |,
the writer, as companion in arms
with the man in question, and i'll view
of the fact that | rank among the first
in calling him by his army pet name,
will call him Slim"
In the spring of 49, =, Slim returned
home from the state university of
medicine with big fat diploma in his
pistol pocket, high honors, and an
empty pocket book. After straighten-
ing up his late fathers jumbled af-
fairs, raking the front yard, and dump
ing the tomato cans over the back
fence, Slim looked around for a place
to hang out his shingle. He found
what he wanted in the shape of suite
of rooms over drug store, a time
honored custom among medicos. He
Immediately took possession as he was
anxious to issue pills to the ailing as
soon as possible.
Moving in was the least of his trou-
bles. An old walnut desk and revolv-
ing chair his father had used in the
fuel business. a few chairs, book
case, and the diploma hung in gilt
frame over his desk, completed his Of
fee furnishings. His professional
equipment consisted of a secondhand
operating table, a small medicine and
surgical case and his knowledge.
Slim was tall. quiet, unassuming
chap of the Abe Lincoln type. unskilled
in the modern art of butting in. He
had plenty Of gray matter in his bean,
and being fresh from college. could
sing songs entitled therapeutics and
was q DR.. Potter on materia medica.
But victims failed to gravitate towards
the desired center Of his expectations
He was In an old fashioned neighbor'
hood, where the trolley cars ran every
10 minutes and the people would rath
Ct trust their lives to old Doc Tomb
stone than run the risk Of being ex
perimented on.
slim worried through the summer
on stray drunk with chewed ear
q I black eye, i dog bite and a few
bunions. which revenue from said
source did not pay the rent. Winter
was coming on and the cold blasts
were blowing through his graduating
clothes which made him think Of a
new overcoat without the price to pay
tor It and to make matters worse, the
landlord never said good morning any
y more. 50 Slim had to gather up his
belongfnss and 80 home. He had to
~ sometAing| and % # quick.
one m0rning Az started out to visit
- hospitals, insane aeylums. prisoni
And - forth and even had = few pat
en- medicine hrms on his list. AZ be
reached the business section he kept
his eyes peeled tor some one to throw
& ht or ~ struck by N automobile
whea biz eyes were attracted By the
9tAre and Stripes waving from Al up
Il ~ window, and Sign announcing
~ TT that able bodied men Of good
eharacter we're wanted IN the U. 8
ssS =
~ happy though struck Slim. y
VII enlist ~ the army hospital service
ana - g be sent 70 : tropical station
Nhsre 4 can hsht the deadly diseases
prAxalshf "A not climates. I Will make
study Of Asiatfc cholera and per
nap discover toxin that Will make
nv name famous, The army viii give
me = thorough knowledge Of how t.
equip ana run = hospital" AZ Slim
nn1shed h1s pipe dream ne walked
nnaer me mas ana repeated the same
dream 70 the recruiting omcer, who
- "a OLD timer ana accustomed te
( sucn dcpe; put promised to send
sim e the philippines II ne would
0U111l. 0Hm Ola 30 ana with bar