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vain things about Laennec； and to refer to the stethoscope as 〃a new…
fangled French toy。〃 He carries one in his hat out of deference to the
expectations of his patients； but he is very hard of hearing； so that it makes
little difference whether he uses it or not。
He reads； as a duty； his weekly medical paper； so that he has a general
idea as to the advance of modern science。 He always persists in looking
upon it as a huge and rather ludicrous experiment。 The germ theory of
disease set him chuckling for a long time； and his favourite joke in the sick
room was to say； 〃Shut the door or the germs will be getting in。〃 As to
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the Darwinian theory； it struck him as being the crowning joke of the
century。 〃The children in the nursery and the ancestors in the stable；〃 he
would cry； and laugh the tears out of his eyes。
He is so very much behind the day that occasionally； as things move
round in their usual circle； he finds himself； to his bewilderment； in the
front of the fashion。 Dietetic treatment； for example； had been much in
vogue in his youth； and he has more practical knowledge of it than any
one whom I have met。 Massage； too； was familiar to him when it was
new to our generation。 He had been trained also at a time when
instruments were in a rudimentary state； and when men learned to trust
more to their own fingers。 He has a model surgical hand； muscular in the
palm； tapering in the fingers； 〃with an eye at the end of each。〃 I shall not
easily forget how Dr。 Patterson and I cut Sir John Sirwell； the County
Member； and were unable to find the stone。 It was a horrible moment。
Both our careers were at stake。 And then it was that Dr。 Winter； whom
we had asked out of courtesy to be present； introduced into the wound a
finger which seemed to our excited senses to be about nine inches long；
and hooked out the stone at the end of it。 〃It's always well to bring one in
your waistcoat…pocket；〃 said he with a chuckle； 〃but I suppose you
youngsters are above all that。〃
We made him president of our branch of the British Medical
Association； but he resigned after the first meeting。 〃The young men are
too much for me；〃 he said。 〃I don't understand what they are talking
about。〃 Yet his patients do very well。 He has the healing touchthat
magnetic thing which defies explanation or analysis； but which is a very
evident fact none the less。 His mere presence leaves the patient with
more hopefulness and vitality。 The sight of disease affects him as dust
does a careful housewife。 It makes him angry and impatient。 〃Tut； tut；
this will never do！〃 he cries； as he takes over a new case。 He would shoo
Death out of the room as though he were an intrusive hen。 But when the
intruder refuses to be dislodged； when the blood moves more slowly and
the eyes grow dimmer； then it is that Dr。 Winter is of more avail than all
the drugs in his surgery。 Dying folk cling to his hand as if the presence
of his bulk and vigour gives them more courage to face the change； and
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that kindly； windbeaten face has been the last earthly impression which
many a sufferer has carried into the unknown。
When Dr。 Patterson and Iboth of us young； energetic； and up…to…date…
…settled in the district； we were most cordially received by the old doctor；
who would have been only too happy to be relieved of some of his patients。
The patients themselves； however； followed their own inclinationswhich
is a reprehensible way that patients haveso that we remained neglected；
with our modern instruments and our latest alkaloids； while he was serving
out senna and calomel to all the countryside。 We both of us loved the old
fellow； but at the same time； in the privacy of our own intimate
conversations； we could not help commenting upon this deplorable lack of
judgment。 〃It's all very well for the poorer people；〃 said Patterson。
〃But after all the educated classes have a right to expect that their medical
man will know the difference between a mitral murmur and a bronchitic
rale。 It's the judicial frame of mind； not the sympathetic； which is the
essential one。〃
I thoroughly agreed with Patterson in what he said。 It happened；
however； that very shortly afterwards the epidemic of influenza broke out；
and we were all worked to death。 One morning I met Patterson on my
round； and found him looking rather pale and fagged out。 He made the
same remark about me。 I was； in fact； feeling far from well； and I lay
upon the sofa all the afternoon with a splitting headache and pains in every
joint。 As evening closed in； I could no longer disguise the fact that the
scourge was upon me； and I felt that I should have medical advice without
delay。 It was of Patterson； naturally； that I thought； but somehow the idea
of him had suddenly become repugnant to me。 I thought of his cold；
critical attitude； of his endless questions； of his tests and his tappings。 I
wanted something more soothingsomething more genial。
〃Mrs。 Hudson；〃 said I to my housekeeper； would you kindly run along
to old Dr。 Winter and tell him that I should be obliged to him if he would
step round？〃
She was back with an answer presently。 〃Dr。 Winter will come
round in an hour or so； sir； but he has just been called in to attend Dr。
Patterson。〃
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HIS FIRST OPERATION。
It was the first day of the winter session； and the third year's man was
walking with the first year's man。 Twelve o'clock was just booming out
from the Tron Church。
〃Let me see；〃 said the third year's man。 〃You have never seen an
operation？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Then this way； ple