Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-23


,-,r,ta,.,- vas crossed one. We got IN:
the man turned on small electric
light and then drew the blinds over
the windows.
Doctor he said. I'm going to ask
you 10 tnke this trip without knowing
where you're going. I'll assure YOU
it's all right want you TO blindfold
yourself before we leave the carriage
until we get inside the house
We'll. didn't ike the look OF this.
hut ! was I'm and didn't like to. back
out. BY the time the carriage stop
ped ! didn't have the least idea what
pnrt Of the town we We're in. he had
made so many turns. | put on the
blindfold. rs my visitor requested. and
we went into n house.
Upstairs | found my patient He
had been shot twice. Revolver bullets
they were The wounds weren't dan
cerous. bur they We're painful because
they had not been treated enrlier.
II dressed them. told the woman
who was there what sort Of care the
patient ought TO have and then told
them that I'd have to see the man at
least two or three times more before
l could answer for his safe recovery.
The man with the dark glasses
quietly assented TO this. but insisted
tiiut he should bring me at night. as
be- had that time. / agreed.
The next morning the papers told OF
a robbery In which a householder had
been wo, nded after shooting one of
the burglars. who succeeded in escap-
ing. All the facts OF the case indi-
Gated that my patient of the night be-
fore was the bargain who had been
shot. The householder recovered
quickly.
The question stared at me: Did the
ethics OF the medical profession allow
me to go to the police and tell them.
what I knew. or did my promise bind
me to secrecy: ! thought it over all
day and finally decided that 1 had no
right TO say anything about the mat
ter made three more trips in the
same manner. All this time | watch
cd the papers. hut no trace was found
OF the burglars. When | made my
last visit ] told the man who had first
called me that my fee would be $50.
He took from large roll some bills
and handed them to the without a
word Tie drove me home. and that
was the last / ever saw of either OF
them.
THAT was n good many years ago.
but I've often wondered whether did
right I'm not violating that mans con-
fidence."
Il don't think you did said mem
Der OF The group. The medical pro-
fession has no right to shield a Grim
InaI. Women and children should be |
given the greatest protection we can
give them. but no word given 4 Grim
NAL Is binding"
But suppose 1t had turned out that !
the man was not the burglar In ques-
tion? / believe he was. but II might |
have been otherwise"
That's rue" said third. 1T was
III right to keep your promise 50 long
Is you had no actual knowledge that
he man was a criminal. Where you
made your mistake was in making /
such ridiculous agreement in the first
place"
And let a man. dangerously injur
d. suffer-" asked the first speaker.
Remember, when | first agreed to Sc
-recy the case had no particularly sus-
,icious appearance. | could cite
lozen different circumstances in which
serious accident might happen and
which the persons connected with
would. with a perfect right. go to
-reat lengths TO keep secret. So could
ither of you"
Which OF the three was right
fork Telegraph.