We can trace his progress when the black mood is on him
by those dwindling slams. Perhaps it is that McCarthy
has labelled the cough mixture as the eye-wash, or sent
an empty pillbox with an exhortation to take one every
four hours. In any case the cyclone comes and goes, and
by the next meal all is peace once more.
I said that the patients were very homely. Any one
who is over-starched might well come here to be
unstiffened. I confess that I did not quite fall in with
it at once. When on one of my first mornings a club
patient with his bottle under his arm came up to me and
asked me if I were the doctor's man, I sent him on to see
the groom in the stable. But soon one falls into the
humour of it. There is no offence meant; and why should
any be taken? They are kindly, generous folk; and if
they pay no respect to your profession in the
abstract, and so rather hurt your dignity, they will be
as leal and true as possible to yourself if you can win
their respect. I like the grip of their greasy and
blackened hands.
Another peculiarity of the district is that many of
the manufacturers and colliery owners have risen from the
workmen, and have (in some cases at least) retained their
old manners and even their old dress. The other day Mrs.
White, Horton's mother-in-law, had a violent sick
headache, and, as we are all very fond of the kind old
lady, we were trying to keep things as quiet as possible
down-stairs.
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