The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-18
THE DOCTOR
IN CAMP
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1918. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

you may wonder now the miners go
along without a doctor In camp, an,
there are indeed times enough whe
the services of skillful physician
were in demand. That winter we pu
on the sick list all the time, and Their
were days when we had three or fou
patients In the hospital at once.
AS to medicines. our mainstay was
hot sweat. When man began t
dump around we didn't lose time b,
feeling his pulse or looking at hi
tongue. Three or four stones were pu
into the fire to heat, blankets borrowed
for the occasion. and when we go
steam on the knots and twists ant
kinks in that chaps case had to I'm
ravel. He'd come out as long and fla
and thin and white as you please. ant
If any one pointed a finger at him fol
the next week he'd cry like baby.
Next to the sweat we had decoctions
of herbs. banks and roots
But, as l said at the start, sickness
became so prevalent and our plain
remedies had SO little effect that II
was finally decided to send up to Sac.
ramento for a doctor. The idea was
to have him come down and brace us
all up and leave medicines and rene
dies. and the expense was to be borne
by a shake purse.
"You see," said Judge Perdue as we
talked the matter over. I'VE don't want
a doctor that we may brag over the
other camps. We want one because
we are sick In the old fashioned way
That's It'll" chorused half a dozen
voices.
1--WE want the old fashioned sickness
that we used to enjoy SO much at
home. We want doctor that viii
come In and say we are goin' to die
for sure and then turn to and cure us
We are jest fairly cryIn' for doses OF
them drugs that used to lift a Teller
outer bed and make him think he'd
bit into moldy pumpkin. Lord. how
/ would like to come down with case
of old fashioned bilious feverr'
A letter was sent to a dealer In the
town asking him to forward a doctor,
and in about five days along he came,
He was young man of twenty-four,
just out of college in the east and just
landed on the slope without dollar In
his pocket, and all he brought to camp
with him was a lancet. some prescrip-
ton blanks and stick of salve for
making sticking piasters.
There Were four men In hospital that
day. and after a bit the doctor entered
TO take look at them. 1t happened
that he came to big Jin Smith first
Smith was threatened with infiamma.
tory rheumatism and was in no mood
to take nonsense.
run out your tongue" said the doc
tor as be bent over the man.
Big Jim displayed it, but in such
begrudging way that 1t was plain to
see that he thought it all bosh.
"Your pulse" said the doctor. as be
reached over for Jim's great paw.
pulse? Amt got anyr growle'
Jim.
"Oh. yes. you have. Here IL is in
your wrist. Keep still for moment"
stranger" said Jim. after the doc
FOR had dropped his hand. dye mean
to tell me that We kin feel mans
wrist and tell what ails his insides7"
yes, in measure"
Excuse my not CALM you liar,
but some Of the boys will do 1t for
me afore you are an hour olderw
What are your symptomsT asked
The doctor.
Never had any"
''But how do you feel?"
"Sick."
"How were you takenT
Stranger, what are you drivin' at?"
demanded Jim as he sat up In bed.
"Have you got pains?"
'In course l have. Dye s'pose I'd
be lynn fat on my back here II any.
thing lessn ton was holdin' me
DOWN.
"Do you ache~ 1
"Rayther." II
"Any feverT
"Waai. I git away with quart of
cold water at gulp."
The doctor sat and studied the case
for few minutes, and then be came
over to the shanty where the commit
tee had assembled and said:
Gentlemen, the case OF Big Jim is
4 serious one. He needs change OF
1iet scenery and air. My advice is
that you brace him up as well as yor
can on chicken soup and beef tea and
hen send him Off for trip to Cuba"
When he was going out he said he
would drop in next morning and have
/ look at the other cases, but he never
lad the chance.
When the boys found that he had ,
,ome without even dose of quinine I
Ind they heard him talk about chicken /
ioup and trips to Cuba for man who Z
hadn't IS to- his name they waited I
lpon him in a sort of hilarious body, I
ind at midnight he went up the trail
It the rate OF twelve miles an hour.
With crowd behind him aching for
lis ears as relics. Next day we heated 4.
lalf ton of rocks, took six or eight |
blankets and gave Big Jim such a t
weat that all his toe nails shed off. {
nd rather than be cured the same 8
vay the other men got well.
II did have some faith In the chap"
reclaimed Jim, lest a little bit. until j
e axed my symptoms. That 1oored !
~ .