He replied, that the Idiosyncrasy could not;
but its morbid excess could, especially when
taken in time. Advice was generally called in
too late. However, here the only serious
symptom was the Insomnia. " We must treat
her for that," said he, writing a prescription;
" but for the rest, active employment, long
walks, or rides, and a change of scene and
associations, will be all that will be required.
In these cases," resumed Mr. Osmond,
"connected as they are with Hyperœmia, medical men
consider moderate venesection to be indicated."

"Venesection? Why, that is bleeding,"
ejaculated Mrs. Dodd, and looked aghast.

Mr. Osmond saw her repugnance, and flowed
aside: " But here, where Kephalalgia and other
symptoms are wanting, it is not called for in the
least; indeed, would be unadvisable." He then
put on his gloves, saying carelessly, " The diet,
of course, must be Antiphlogistic."

Mrs. Dodd thanked him warmly for the
interest he had shown, and, after ringing the bell,
accompanied him herself to the head of the stairs,
and then asked him would he add to his kindness
by telling her where she could buy that?

Mr. Osmond looked surprised at the question,
and told her any chemist would make it up for
her. It was only a morphine pill, to be taken
every night.

"Oh, I do not mean the prescription,"
explained Mrs. Dodd, " but the new food the dear
child is to take? An—flo—Gistic, was it? I had
better write it down, sir;" and she held her wee
ivory tablets ready.

Mr. Osmond stared, then smiled superior:
"Antiphlogistic is not an esculent, it is a
medical term."

"There, see my ignorance!" said Mrs. Dodd,
sweetly.

He replied courteously, " I am afraid it is, ' See
my rudeness, talking Greek to a lady.' But it is
impossible to express medical ideas by popular
terms. 'Antiphlogistic' is equivalent to non-
inflammatory. You must know that nearly all
disorders arise from, or are connected with,
' phlegmon,' that is, morbid heat; inflammation.
Then a curative system antagonistic to heat, in
short, an Antiphlogistic treatment, restores the
healthy equilibrium by the cooling effect of
venesection or cupping in violent cases, followed
by drastic agents, and by vesication and even
salivation if necessary — don't be alarmed!
Nothing in so mild a case as this indicates the
exhibition of active remedies — and, in all cases,
serious or the reverse, the basis of the treatment
is a light abstemious diet; a diet at once lowering
and cooling: in one word, Antiphlogistic.
Let us say then, for breakfast, dry toast with very
little butter — no coffee — cocoa (from the nibs),
or weak tea: for luncheon, beef-tea or mutton-
broth: for dinner, a slice of roast chicken, and
tapioca, or semolina, pudding. I would give
her one glass of sherry, but no more, and barley-
water; it would be as well to avoid brown
meats, at all events for the present. With these
precautions, my dear madam, I think your
anxiety will soon be happily removed."

Upon the good surgeon's departure, Mrs. Dodd
went in search of Julia, and told her she was
charmed with him. " So kind and considerate.
He enters into my solicitude, and seems to
partake it; and, he speaks under his breath, and
selects his expressions. You are to take a
narcotic, and long walks, and an antiphlogistic
diet."

Julia took her long walks and light diet; and
became a little pale at times, and had fewer
bursts of high spirits in the intervals of depression.
Her mother went with her care to a female
friend. The lady said she would not trust to
surgeons and apothecaries; she would have a
downright physician. " Why not go to the top
of the tree at once, and call in Dr. Short? You
have heard of him?"

"Oh yes; I have even met him in society; a
most refined person; I will certainly follow
your advice and consult him. Oh, thank you,
Mrs. Bosanquet ! A propos, do you consider him
skilful?"

"Oh, immensely; he is a particular friend
of my husband's."

This was so convincing, that off went another
three-cocked note, and next day a dark green
carriage and pair dashed up to Mrs. Dodd's door,
and Dr. Short bent himself in an arc, got out,
and slowly mounted the stairs. He was six feet
two, wonderfully thin, livid, and gentlemanlike.
Fine long head, keen eye, lantern jaws.
At sight of him Mrs. Dodd rose and smiled,
Julia started and sat trembling. He stepped
across the room inaudibly, and, after the usual
civilities, glanced at the patient's tongue, and
touched her wrist delicately. "Pulse is rapid,"
said he.

Mrs. Dodd detailed the symptoms. Dr. Short
listened with the patient politeness of a gentleman,
to whom all this was superfluous. He
asked for a sheet of note-paper, and divided it
so gently, he seemed to be persuading one thing
to be two; he wrote a pair of prescriptions, and
whilst thus employed looked up every now and
then and conversed with the ladies.

"You have a slight subclavicular affection,
Miss Dodd: I mean, a little pain under the
shoulder-blade."

"No, sir," said Julia, quietly.

Dr. Short looked a little surprised; his
female patients rarely contradicted him. Was it
for them to disown things he was so good as to
assign them?

"Ah!" said he, "you are not conscious of it:
all the better; it must be slight; a mere uneasiness:
no more." He then numbered the
prescriptions 1, 2, and advised Mrs. Dodd to drop
No. 1 after the eighth day, and substitute No. 2,
to be continued until convalescence. He put
on his gloves, to leave. Mrs. Dodd, then, with
some hesitation, asked him humbly whether she
might ask him what the disorder was.
"Certainly, madam," said he, graciously; "your
daughter is labouring under a slight torpidity of
the liver. The first prescription is active, and
is to clear the gland itself, and the biliary ducts,
of the excretory accumulation; and the second