ight have been saved, not only to the cause of health and
conjugal happiness, but also to that of piety.

CHAPTER LXXVI.

DR. BOLUS AND MORPHINE.

A telegraphic communication was made to me one day, nearly as follows:
"B. J. W. is very sick, and is not expected to live through the day.
Please come on immediately."

The distance was about one hundred and fifty miles, and the mode and
means of conveyance neither very direct nor rapid for these latter
times. It was more than probable that Mr. B. J. W. would be dead before
I could reach the place. However, as he was a particular friend, and as
there was some hope, I concluded to set out.

Late in the evening,--or rather, in the night,--I arrived at the place,
and found the young man still alive. He was, however, as it was easy to
perceive, in a very critical condition. Glad to find him alive, but
inclined to fall in with the general opinion that his case was a
hopeless one, and withal greatly fatigued, I yielded to the demands of
exhausted Nature, and slept a short time, when his physician arrived.

Now I had been sent for, in part, as a special friend, and in part, as a
medical counsellor. And yet there were difficulties. Dr. Bolus, the
family physician, was just such a man--for reasons that might be
given--as I dreaded to advise with, should my advice be needed. He was
one who would be likely to think any important suggestion an impeachment
of his own superior wisdom. Science, true science, is always modest, and
does not fear any thing; because she loves, most of all things, _to be
right_. But Dr. Bolus had not, as I think, enough of true science to
make him feel or perceive the want of it. The ignorant are always
self-confident in proportion to their ignorance.

We examined the patient, as soon as possible, and retired for
consultation. Dr. Bolus gave a full history of the progress of the case,
with a particular account of the treatment. I saw at once, both from the
existing symptoms and Dr. Bolus's statement, that the tendency to the
brain--so great as to keep up an almost constant delirium--was quite as
likely to be caused by the enormous quantities of morphine and quinine,
and other active medicines which had been administered, as to belong
properly to the disease. I therefore advised a gradual reduction and
ultimate discontinuance of the extra stimulants.

Dr. Bolus was opposed to the reduction I proposed, but finally consented
to it, at least in par