 | Life and sayings of Mrs. Partington and others
of the family |  |
ANCIENT AND MODERN REMEDIES
CONTRASTED.
“They don't doctor folks now as my physician learnt
me,” said Mrs. Partington, sagely tapping her snuff-box
by the couch of a friend lying indisposed. Her gesture
was very expressive, and the profundity of a whole Med.
Fac. beamed from her spectacles. She took a pinch of
Farwell's subtle Maccaboy in her fingers, and shut the
box, and laid it away in her capacious pocket, then, with
her closed forefinger and thumb raised, went on with her
remarks, — “They don't subscribe for folks now as they
used to. My doctor used to tell me, — and he never
lost any of his patience but once, and that was an old
man of ninety-seven, whose days were shortened because
he had n't strength to swallow, — he used to tell me, —
and I 've been with him thousands of times with sick
folks, — he used to tell me, first, said he, give 'em
apecac, to clear the stomach; then give 'em purgatory
to clear the bowels; then put a blister on the neck if
the head aches; and have 'em blooded if there is a tenderness
of the blood to the head; and put hot poultices
on to the feet, arter soaking 'em in hot water. There
wan't none of your Homerpathics, nor Hydrapathics, nor
no other pathics then, and what was done might be sure
it would either kill or cure!”
She inhaled the dust with great unction, and the
patient, who lay making squares and diamonds out of the
as heartily as St. Paul did when he saw the three
taverns, that he had fallen upon times of more physical
mildness.
| Life and sayings of Mrs. Partington and others
of the family | |