Athothis : a satire on modern medicine / by Thomas C. Minor.

a doctor, and the time-honored custom has been to make the physician prescribe." " Under these circumstances, such men as Moonshine must thrive," answered Athothis; " and so long as the world is pleased to employ his scientific services, and he only continues to prescribe grains of sugar, no great harm is done. " Here comes another two-horse chariot," interrupted Paulus Androcydes, " and lolling within is a smiling, sweet-faced young man, who, judging from his self-satis- fied appearance, is at peace with his own conscience and all mankind. Notice the manner in which he puckers up his lips ! Listen ! he is whistling the Dead March, from Saul." " What is that object lying on the carriage seat?" in- quired Athothis. " Can it be that he is driving around with a child's coffin?" Paulus Androcydes indulged in a spiritual smile, and answered : " The object you notice is a violin case and only contains the remains of a Stradivarius. This is young Doctor Symphony, a man of infinite genius and remarkable intellect, whose soul is wrapped up in a deep contemplation of music and medicine. Doctor Symphony has an enormous practice among musically inclined peo- ple, and is much employed by fathers who have marriage- able daughters and believe with Erasmus 'Musicam docet amor et poesin? He is now on his way to visit a hys- terical woman, who is devoted to the piano, and practices, much to the annoyance of the neighbors. Presently Symphony will accompany the lady in a duet; thus musi- cal instruction is combined with medicine, and the young woman's father will ask for no discount on the bill. But permit me to assure you that Symphony is really a gen-