The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 176: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MYSTERIVG OF THE COURT. publication, he would introduce some such sen- tence as the following :—“ And in this view of the matare and treatment of the disease, I am fully borne out by the testimony and experience of Dr. Copperas, who will pardon me for thus introdacing his name into the disquisition.” On the other hand, Dr. Copperas, when communicating an ex- traordinary case to a medical periodical, would not fail to observe that “the instance is not altogether wnknown in the experience of the faculty, one of equal difficulty having some time since come under the cognizanee of that eminent physician, Dr. Thurston, who was most successfal in treating it upon the same plan.” Again, when Dr. Thurston pyblished a bulky medical work, the little annotation of “See Dr. Copperas on Dispepsia,” was frequently observed at the bottom of a page, with the usual asterisk : and when Dr. Copperas issued his book, the anno- tation of “See Dr. Thurston on Antiphlogistic Treatment,” occurred in a similar manner. More- over, Dr. Thurston dedicated his great work on the Treatment of Carditis and Pericarditis to Dr. Copperas, “as a humble tribute of admiration and respect ;” and Dr. Copperas dedicated his bulky volume on Phlebotomy to Dr. Thurston, “as a humble tribute of respect and admiration.” | When a vacancy occurred in the medical staff of the Prince Regent's household, Dr. Thurston was quite surprised that Dr. Copperas should have been passed over: while, on the other hand, Dr. Copperas was convinced that hole-and-corner work could alone have prevented Dr. Thurston from obtaining the appointment. [If ever the King’s malady happened to be mentioned when Dr. Thurston was calling upon a patient, he would be sure to shake his head solemnly and express a deep regret that the Royal Family had not thought fit to avail themselves of the eminent skill of Dr. Copperas: while, on his side, and under similar » Dr. Copperas would mysteriously hint that it was people’s own fault if they didn’t apply in the right quarter, as for instance to such a man as Dr. Thurston. Thus Dr. Thurston hurled Dr. Copperas at the head of his patients; and Dr. Copperas as xea- lously flung Dr. Thurston at them :—so that Thurs- ton be-puffed Copperas, and Copperas be-praised Thurston—and Thurston and Copperas, and Cop- peras and Thurston were invariably mentioned in the same breath by their patients in private and medical journals in public—and thus Thurston made Copperas, and Copperas made Thurston, wntil the most extensive West-end practice was monopolised between Thurston and Copperas. On the occasion when we now find Dr. Cop- peras lunching with Dr. Thurston, they had just returned from a consultation; and having each pocketed a fifty guinea fee and seen their patient close his eyes for ever upon this world, they were in the best possible humour for a good luncheon. “Fam going to send an article on Diabetes to the Medical Reformer next week,” observed Dr. Copperas, as he held a glass of sherry up before his eyes to delight them with the colour before hé regaled his tongue with the taste; “and I mean to cut up Dr. Colycynth’s theory hip and thigh.” “No—don’t do that, my dear friend,” said Thurston : “for Colycynth has spoken well of me in his Essay on Hydrargyrum cum Creta.” 163 “ Oh! that alters the case altogether,” observed Copperas, sipping his wine. “I will laud him te the skies. But, by Rho 2% how gets on the article relative to Siliagogues “T have nearly Ieiibed it” answered Thurston; “and mean to wind up with a complete exposure of Dr. Hartshorn.” “Don’t think of it, my dear friend,” exclaimed Copperas, in dismay. “Why, Hartshorn has quoted six pages from my book on P * Well, I am glad you have mentioned it,” said Thurston. “I will take care to pay him a high compliment. By the bye, Professor Gargle never alluded to either of us in his last Course of Lectures.” “No—the same thing struck me,” remarked Copperas. “We must run him down. I will at- tack him in my forthcoming article on Diabetes ; and you must pronounce him a perfect ignoramus with to Suiagogues.” “ Agreed,” said Thurston. “Bat what about Dr. Sago?’ ’- “Oh! he sent me a brace of grouse with a very polite note last year, and a fine turbot the other day,” answered Copperas. “You must let him alone. But if you choose to level a side-blow at that aspiring young fellow Febrifuge, who has jast set up his one-horse chaise-———” * No—we won’ be hard upon him,” interrupted Thurston: “he took off his hat to me the other day.” “Oh! very well,” remarked Copperas: “then we'll let him alone.” At this moment the door opened, and a footman entered. “If you please, sir,” said the domestic, “a per. son named Tomkins—a tinen-draper in St. James's Street—wants to know whether you can visit his wife immediately” “A linen-draper— Oh! no,” interrupted Dr. Thurston, with a contemptuous sneer. “J should think not indeed,” observed Dr. Copperas, pouring out another glass of wine. “What's the matter with the woman ” “ Never mind what’s the matter with her,” said Thurston. “Tell the husband, William, that I am very sorry—but that Dr. Copperas is engaged with me at present in earnest consultation upon a most difficult case, which I cannot possibly leave.” "Yes, sir,” answered the footman: and he quitted the room. “A paltry five guinea fee, IF suppose,” said Thurston, as he helped himself to some pigedna-pie. In a few minutes William reappeared. * Please, sir,” he said, addressing himself to Dr. Copperas, “ your servant has just come over to say that one Brisket, a butcher in Piccadilly, has sent for you immediately: his father has fallen down m an apoplectic it——” ‘A butcher indeed I” ejaculated Dr. Copperas. T wonder what the world is coming to next! Let my servant say that I have been called in by Dr. Thurston in a matter of the utmost importance, and that I am totally unable to attend upon Mr. Brisket.” “Yes, sir,” replied the footman: and he again withdrew. The doctors continued to eat, and drink, and converse as comfortably as if no linen-draper’s wife was dangerously ill or no butcher’s father in an - i EOMICOOOKS. conn