The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-05-23
ADOCTOR'S.
STORY
By RYLAND BELL

After a meeting Of our medical soci.
ETY. we separated into small groups
1some discussing a paper that had been
Tread. some idly chatting and some tell.
ing experiences. In our group we fell
to talking about leaving patients in the
hands of nurses we were not sure Of,
land n of our number told the follow.
ing story:
One morning when making my round
of visits ! was going upstairs to the
room Of q sick lady when l heard the
words:
doctor. my nurse is killing me-"
l stopped and listened for a repeti.
ton. l did not doubt that it came from
the sickroom. though the patient had
not complained Of her nurse. whom I
had recently placed on my list Of those
I recommended. But l did not hear the
words again. SC resolved to keep my
own counsel and went on to the sick
chamber, knocked and was admitted.
Now. I am enough of u scientist to
know that an investigator Is very east
ly worked upon by his theories. Be-
fore entering the room l had explained
in my W mind the words I had heard.
A former patient of mine had once.
while ! was bending over her. whisper
ed to me. For heavens sake. take
away that nurse" at once made IN
excuse to do 30. and the patient. whose
nerves were shattered. told me that the
woman domineered over her. did
not completely side with my patient in
the matter. for she Needed a firm hand.
but l gave her another nurse.
Nevertheless that case Influenced me
in the second one. and. realizing that
! was Influenced by it. ! resolved to
Danish it and get at the facts without
a word with the patient or the nurse.
! found the nurse somewhat agitated.
though the patient did not give evil
dence Of anything unusual having haps
pened. The nurse had just come into
the room through a door opening upon
a back stairway and carried a tray. on
which was the invalid's luncheon.
There was no opportunity to speak
to the patient alone during my visit.
for the nurse did not leave the room.
It has always seemed to me that for u
doctor to send a nurse from the room
reflects upon her. indicating that he
wishes to say that to the patient
which he does not wish the nurse to
hear. At any rate. l once offended
one Of my best nurses by doing that
very thing. So In this case L. went
away without having acquired any fur
Their information about the matter.
On my next visit l made a pretext
to send the nurse out Of the room to
bring something I wanted. but she
foiled me by going to a closet for it.
/ couldn't think of any other excuse
and went away as uniformed as be-
fore. On my next visit l had scarcely
entered the house before l again heard
the words: a
Doctor, my nurse is killing mel"
This time. since l had not gone up.
stairs. the sound was farther away
from me and less distinct. 1t seemed
to come from directly over my head.
though I paid no attention to this, for
the ear does not give us the direction
Of sound. ] hurried upstairs and into
the sickroom without knocking. hoping
to learn something by taking them by
surprise. l found the nurse arranging
the patients pillow. Neither showed
a consciousness Of anything disagree
able between them.
But despite my remedies my patient
was getting worse. Probably this turn.
ed the scale IN my mind against the
nurse. At any rate. I determined to ne
move her without offending her. 4 told.
her that I had another case In which
she alone would satisfy me and ]
would send a substitute. she reporting
at the new place that evening. Then
I left without saying anything to her
charge about the change. intending to
do so after 1t had been made and at
the same time give her my reasons for
relieving her Of her nurse.
What was my establishment at my
next visit to hear on ascending the
staircase the words:
doctor. my nurse is killing me"
had only an hour before left the
nurse who had had charge Of the case
with another patient, and here was
the same complaint. / resolved to In
vesdgate on my own account. Avoid
ing the sickr0om. ! opened every door
In a small room directly over the front
door was a parrot on a perch beside
the window where he could see my
carriage drive up and see me alight
and enter the house.
Here was the explanation. or q part
Of It. Still. keeping my own counsel.
realizing that I had removed the nurse
unjustly. 1. returned to the house
where / had placed the suspected wo-
ma and told her what had happened.
Doctor she said. 1.-THE morning you
called when l was carrying 10 the pa
tents breakfast / had just passed the
room where the parrot was kept and
heard him say Doctor. my nurse y
killing me! was In terror when !
saw you enter for fear you had heard
him and would suspect me. Upon in
r.,,irr i Ian vannd that former snatient