登陆注册
15454400000036

第36章 THE STAYING POWER OF SIR ROHAN(3)

"You can sit down again," she said sharply to me. "I don't want you. Now, sir," she continued, turning to Uncle Beamish, "please come with me."Uncle Beamish gave a glance of surprise at me, but he immediately followed the old lady out of the room, and the door was closed behind them.

For ten minutes, at least, I sat quietly waiting to see what would happen next--very much surprised at the remark that had been made to me, and wondering at Uncle Beamish's protracted absence. Suddenly he entered the room and closed the door.

"Here's a go!" said he, slapping his leg, but very gently.

"We're mistook the worst kind. We're mistook for doctors.""That is only half a mistake," said I. "What is the matter, and what can I do?""Nothin'," said he, quickly,--"that is, nothin' your own self. Just the minute she got me outside that door she began pitchin' into you. `I suppose that's young Dr. Glover,' said she. I told her it was, and then she went on to say, givin' me no chance to explain nothin', that she didn't want to have anything to do with you; that she thought it was a shame to turn people's houses into paupers' hospitals for the purpose of teachin' medical students; that she had heard of you, and what she had heard she hadn't liked. All this time she kept goin' up-stairs, and I follerin' her, and the fust thing I knowed she opened a door and went into a room, and I went in after her, and there, in a bed, was a patient of some kind. I was took back dreadful, for the state of the case came to me like a flash.

Your uncle had been sent for, and I was mistook for him. Now, what to say was a puzzle to me, and I began to think pretty fast.

It was an awkward business to have to explain things to that sharp-set old woman. The fact is, I didn't know how to begin, and was a good deal afraid, besides, but she didn't give me no time for considerin'. `I think it's her brain,' said she, `but perhaps you'll know better. Catherine, uncover your head!' And with that the patient turned over a little and uncovered her head, which she had had the sheet over. It was a young woman, and she gave me a good look, but she didn't say nothin'. Now IWAS in a state of mind."

"Of course you must have been," I answered. "Why didn't you tell her that you were not a doctor, but that I was. It would have been easy enough to explain matters. She might have thought my uncle could not come and he had sent me, and that you had come along for company. The patient ought to be attended to without delay.""She's got to be-attended to," said Uncle Beamish, "or else there will be a row and we'll have to travel--storm or no storm.

But if you had heard what that old woman said about young doctors, and you in particular, you would know that you wasn't goin' to have anything to do with this case--at least, you wouldn't show in it. But I've got no more time for talkin'. Icame down here on business. When the old lady said, `Catherine, hold out your hand!' and she held it out, I had nothin' to do but step up and feel her pulse. I know how to do that, for I have done a lot of nussin' in my life. And then it seemed nat'ral to ask her to put out her tongue, and when she did it Igave a look at it and nodded my head. `Do you think it is her brain?' said the old woman, half whisperin'. `Can't say anything about that yit,' said I. `I must go down-stairs and get the medicine-case. The fust thing to do is to give her a draught, and I will bring it up to her as soon as it is mixed.' You have got a pocket medicine-case with you, haven't you?""Oh, yes," said I. "It is in my overcoat."

"I knowed it," said Uncle Beamish. "An old doctor might go visitin' without his medicine-case, but a young one would be sure to take it along, no matter where he was goin'. Now you get it, please, quick.""My notion is," said he, when I returned from the kitchen with the case, "that you mix somethin' that might soothe her a little, if she has got anything the matter with her brain, and which won't hurt her if she hasn't. And then, when I take it up to her, you tell me what symptoms to look for. I can do it--Ihave spent nights lookin' for symptoms. Then, when I come down and report, you might send her up somethin' that would keep her from gettin' any wuss till the doctor can come in the mornin', for he ain't comin' here to-night.""A very good plan," said I. "Now, what can I give her? What is the patient's age?""Oh, her age don't matter much," said Uncle Beamish, impatiently. "She may be twenty, more or less, and any mild stuff will do to begin with.""I will give her some sweet spirits of nitre," said I, taking out a little vial. "Will you ask the servant for a glass of water and a teaspoon?""Now," said I, when I had quickly prepared the mixture, "she can have a teaspoonful of this, and another in ten minutes, and then we will see whether we will go on with it or not.""And what am I to look for?" said he.

"In the first place," said I, producing a clinical thermometer, "you must take her temperature. You know how to do that?""Oh, yes," said he. "I have done it hundreds of times. She must hold it in her mouth five minutes.""Yes, and while you are waiting," I continued, "you must try to find out, in the first place, if there are, or have been, any signs of delirium. You might ask the old lady, and besides, you may be able to judge for yourself.""I can do that," said he. "I have seen lots of it.""Then, again," said I, "you must observe whether or not her pupils are dilated. You might also inquire whether there had been any partial paralysis or numbness in any part of the body.

These things must be looked for in brain trouble. Then you can come down, ostensibly to prepare another prescription, and when you have reported, I have no doubt I can give you something which will modify, or I should say--""Hold her where she is till mornin'," said Uncle Beamish. "That's what you mean. Be quick. Give me that thermometer and the tumbler, and when I come down again, I reckon you can fit her out with a prescription just as good as anybody."He hurried away, and I sat down to consider. I was full of ambition, full of enthusiasm for the practice of my profession.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 神谕天穹

    神谕天穹

    因倒霉的车祸,陆夕穿越到了异界。神秘的小剑,无名的功法。在美女背后那浅浅的色色的笑容预示着什么。
  • 无限之御兽

    无限之御兽

    末法时代,手持秘典,一场死亡奇遇,造就一位活着的传奇。。。。。。。。
  • 三小只之异世情缘

    三小只之异世情缘

    一道电闪雷鸣后三小只不见了,同时不见的还有三个女孩。他们去哪去了?会回来么?怎么回来?想知道答案就乖乖关注本书——《三小只之异世情缘》
  • 悠悠田园药草香

    悠悠田园药草香

    都市白领李芸莫名穿越成了九岁小萝莉,哎!即来之者安之,亲叔欺辱,她凶悍操刀护母;祖母恶毒,她强硬逼她退步;幼弟纨绔,她冷酷饿他肚腹;开荒地,种药材,努力变成白富美,悠悠田园药草香,引来采花俊儿郎,照样生活的和和美美!本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。
  • 受伤的百合

    受伤的百合

    百纯芳答应和彭重性交往之后又迷上了一位名叫合勇柔的少女,并和她同居陷入三角关系的她会选择谁当她的伴侣呢?
  • 骑龙英雄

    骑龙英雄

    一位小神医在采药的时候奇遇龙门门主遭害,年岁老矣的龙门门主在临死之前将毕生绝学封印在小神医体内,并将门主之位临托小神医。从此,小神医每天都要修炼龙门秘籍,方能将体内的真气化为己用。
  • 重生之无尽巅峰

    重生之无尽巅峰

    21世纪的屌丝大学生一不小心穿越到了异世大陆上的一个被谋害身亡的七八岁小男孩身上,刚刚死里逃生的他又入虎口……塞翁失马,焉知祸福,被带到虎穴的他又会有怎样的经历?被告知是应运而来的他会挑起所谓先人遗言中所说的责任么?他不是内裤外穿的superman!也不是可以变身的咸蛋超人,他只是一个家破人亡的屌丝!但是,从他穿越而来的那一刻一切都开始变了!“小白,你伙伴到底在哪里?”“小朱,他们……呵呵,我也不知道……”“……”猪一样的队友,是传说的四大守护之一白虎么?还是被他养残了……
  • 万古霸主

    万古霸主

    吾乃日曜煞体,战天、战地、战鬼、战神!望目天下之间,全是吾敌!帝?草芥尔!女人?吾不缺!吾只缺一战,斩天地,碎大道,破阴阳、除五行,重塑新天地!吾乃万古霸主!尔可敢与吾一战?哈哈哈哈!
  • 大道狂武

    大道狂武

    作为一个待在河边晒太阳也能被石头砸中的人来说,怜城真心觉得自己也是命苦的不要不要了,除了投胎这项技术活觉得自己还不错之外,怜城表示自己好像确实没有什么可以证明上辈子积过阴德.....你说作为一个连花花草草都不忍心看它凋谢的爱好和平的人来说,为什么偏偏要出生在这么一个顺便出来一个人又是剑气八千米,又是万里取首级的世界呢?大家能动嘴就尽量别动手不好吗?唉.......三叔公,我话还没说完你怎么就冲出去了呢!会御剑飞行了不起啊?!好吧,您老确实了不起!!!
  • 寻你无冥

    寻你无冥

    我开心的与你遇见,却忘记了遇见是为了痛苦的离别。每个人都有自己16、7岁花季雨季的故事,更有着二十几岁的归宿,只是,你十几岁爱的那个人,是你二十多岁的所嫁之人吗?夏寻南的爱情从遇见开始一路走来都是成长,都是自己在心中世界中种下的种子。等待发芽结果,用泪水和欢笑浇灌。