Show THE DOCTOR AND THE CANE Youths Companion A cane used to be consid considered considered considered ered a necessary part of at the physicians outfit as indispensable to the profession as the medicine bag or the general air of ot wisdom In the rooms of the London col college college college lege of ot physicians there is preserved a staff which Is famous as having been carried by a succession of prominent doctors whose lives extended over a period of hearly nearly a century and a half Dr William Macmichael has pub published published an account of ot it in a quaint little book in which the story of the various arious owners and aId their characteristics Is told The cane originally belonged to the great Dr Radcliffe of ot the seventeenth century The doctor himself rather quick as to temper was once treated to a bit biting bitIng biting ing bit of repartee garden adjoined the grounds of Sir Godfrey Kneller the kings chief painter A door In the wall made easy communication be between between between tween his doctor and the artist Some of the doctors workmen however littered up the artists beautiful flower flowerbeds flowerbeds flowerbeds beds and aroused his anger He lIe sent word that It if the thing continued he would have hae the door bricked up Sir Godfrey Godfre can cn do what he pleases with that door so long as ho he paint it retorted Dr Radcliffe Did my good friend say sa that re remarked remarked marked Sir Godfrey when the slap at athis athis athis his profession was repeated to him Well Veil go 0 tell teU him that th t Ill take anything from tram him but physic The Tho cane passed in succession from tram Dr hands to those of Mood Mend As Askew Aske Askew kew ke PitcaIrn and Baillie all famous In their day and generation Of or Baillie the following Incident is told He was a gentle and patient physician by b nature but his immense practice and crowded hours sometimes made him hasty hash with the importunate At one time after listening to a long story staT of her ailments from a lady who was so little ill that she intended to go goto goto goto to the opera that night the doctor left the room with a sigh of at relief He had Just got down stairs when he was called back Doctor feebly asked the lady lad may I on my return tonight eat a few eye oysters oysters Yes madam roared the doctor shells and all |