The Washington herald., 1916-03-26
Pain.
By JOHN u. BARRY.

toothache. Everything in life but that toothache
ceased to have any importance in my mind /
could think of nothing else
On my way down to the dentist passed many
people in the street. Not one of them seemed 10
have toothache. They walked easily and quietly
instead of rushing in agony as I was doing |
envied them And | wondered why | should be
fsingled out for this ordeal
In the dentists chair there was even worse
suffering ] looked helplessly at the ceiling and
thought OF the time when didn't have toothache
Why hadn't | appreciated my good fortune?
How was it possible that for any stretch OF
time | had been unaware of the blessing of not
having toothache?
Presently the pain began to subside In hall
hour it left me-
relaxed. / took deep breath.
was free. at peace.
The luxury OF that peace!
Then knew that I was enjoying one of the
perquistes of pain, perhaps its most wonderful
pcrquiste.
All sufferers from pain know this wonderful
pcrquiste.
For all sufferers have periods of immunity
from pain.
These from one OF the wise provisions OF
nature.
1t is-impossible for any human being always to
be in pain.
If the pain does not leave the patient, the
patient leaves the pain.
That is, the mind of the patient becomes dulled
to the pain.
In such periods of relief, sufferers from in.
tense and long continued pain must have mo.
ments OF supreme happiness, of exsltstion.
Because they have paid dear, they receive
the richest reward.
There great sufferers who actually make
friends with pain
In their pain they find kind OF companion.
ship.
When the pain goes they actually feel loss
With them, the pain is in itself perquiste
| And it is perquiste achieved wholly through
character, through fortitude. scf-forge,fulncss.
| recently met trained nurse highly in
! tclligcnt woman, who told ME of experiences
with her patients that seemed not without humor
They were surprising to me. Perhaps to you
they will be familiar.
| Many people actually enjoy being SICK even
when they suffer pain. They enjoy the perquisites
that go with sickness, being the center of in.
tcrest, being fused over, having everything regu
lated to suit them and their needs, real or i'm.
agnary.
So much do they enjoy being sick, or rather
being treated as sick, that even when they are
| recovering they like to prolong the period of con.
valescence. In some cases, to appear worse of
than they really are, patients will take the thcr.
momcter used by the nurse and hold it agains,
the hot water bag!
The inexperienced nurses become terrified
Often they will actually telephone for the doctor
The concern and excitement the patient en-
joys, too.
1t is, of course, generally recognized that con.
valescencc is a delightful period. 1t is like the
sense of relief from toothache extended over DAYS
or over weeks months.
The whole world becomes beautiful
Members of families, given to preying on one
another, cease to prey the afflicted They NAV
even forbear all strife for a long interval
The remote chance of death makes the famil,
reflect the good qualities of the threatened one
and makes them realize their love- 1t even makes
them forget bad qualities and create imaginar,
| Relatives and friends are kinder, more SYM
pathetic, much more interested
In convalescence there is multitude of per
qusites. They give to living delight such as we
usually associate with idea of heaven.
| Children have keen appreciation of the per.
qusites of suffering Often they will feign suf
fcring for the sake of securing those perquistes
or pretend that they have received some distress.
ing injury.
1t is amusing to sec them acting under these
circumstances. Often they will have moments OF
forgetfulness and betray that they are acting.
| With many people, oftener with women than
with men, illness, with its accountant
ment of suffering, becomes of the most beau.
tiful and inspiring of memories.
i know a woman who, for years, was incapaci.