17
"
Page
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNĖ 4, 1955.
Page
F
THE QUACK
AT SEA..
ACED
the
with necessify of finding a. completely new job, I'd be willing to try almost anything pro- vided it was neither muri- time nor medical.
I am a poor sailor, I love my warm bed, and the sight of blood turns me
queasy.
? Did it happen...
• Another story in this series by famous writers of FACT or FICTION tales. at
Did
It therefore seems quite preposterous that once, the age of 21. I served in the Merchant Navy ship's doctor.
I
Before any pillar of the BMA has time to raise his eyebrows. let me explain that I was not
this.. capacity. engaged Joined
ship--a my
tramp steamer of some 900 tons-with, the rank of purser.
A passenger
Ordinarily, of course, tramps of that size don't carry pursers:
1
but my friend at the company's head office--who had usually asked if I'd like a trip to South America for the mere cost. my
keep explained when jumped impetuously at the offer. that Board of Trade regulations made it necessary for me to be-
one of
crew.
the
and
this actually happen? This is a riddle" for To- YOU to salve, morrow the answer will be published,
to
τι
·
"What
SCOTTIS
bs the trouble?" I inquired, attempting a bedside manner but achieving only an apprehensive croak.
The Jap grinned. "Collar- bone broke," he announced cheerfully,
up "collar-bone" in the encyclopaedia. "The arm." I read. "should be strapped across the body is shown in Fig. 6."
The page containing
I looked
His
6 was missing to all intents
better strap it." I told purposes the steward hollowly. you'll simply hen passenger, he
grin expanded. "No assured me "Nobody"--and he chuckled at the very-idea-"is going to ask you to da ony work!"
Which shows how limited is
the knowledge of Leadenhall Street about. the ways of the men it sends down to the sea in ships.
"Purver, ch?" sniffed the Captain when I went aboard at
Docks, "Oh well. expect I can and something to keep you occupied. What've you been doing till now?"
His face lit up when I told him 1 had recently come down from Cambridge.
Ah, that's
"Medical student! good. You'l, be our doctor." And
conducted was
forthwith to the ship's surgery, protesting in vain that I had read low at the university...
Tremulous hands
straps,
All right, I'll bandage it." No bandages." I lost my
"Ask the
nerve.
Captain if he'd please step down
here.
Rabin had been silent through this exchange. but with the departure of the steward he be- war again. It's eyes were rolling. Rolling in agony, I told myself miserably-tilt I noticed that they veered always in the direction of the brandy bottle.
One patient
Well, at least there was one thing I could do for the poor devil. I poured him a stif measure, and he had just time to thrust the empty glass back at me before the Captain stalked in
The Captain was in A bad temper, "What's all this "non-
The surgery was a tiny com- sense?" he demanded. partment sandwiched between "I think it's a "broken collar- the galley and the officers' bath-bone,"
room. Except that it lacked a "Impossible. That'd mean
lecches. it appeared contain the original stock-in-tting back to Madeira,
jar of
trade of some long-departed
healer who had no doubt
himself "barber
styled
rurgeon." chi
a dose of salts."
Give
surely...I mean, if the bone's fractured.
On It's always worked before."
a rickety, semi-bald couch lay And he stalked out again. the tattered remains of a medi-
Orders are
are orders.
To have
cal encyclopaedia which must ignored them would have been have been published only just mutiny. I gave Robin a dose after they ceased spell of salts and that night, sure "scurvy" with an initial "" enough, he was back on his job.
to
Thus equipped, ignorant and squeamish, I set out for the River Plate with the well-being
There was no mistaking the delight on the shiny black face when Robin saw who had came te escort him to Villa Constitu- elón. Twice on the way to the station. and again while we waited there, he complained eagerly of feeling if He col- lapsed as the train came in, and I had to engage a porter to help me aboard with him,
The patient rallied once we had got moving. Unfortunately, however, we had to change at a 10 boast a station big enough bar, and he had a relapse during our ten-minute wait there.
A crowd gathered to enjoy the spectacle of the big Alrican writhing in agony on the plat- form, and it was with dismay that, I saw one of them produce, from his flask eventually pocket Th a reward for the entertainment.
A
I
suppose I should have waved it away, but I know, if 1 or I would had, either Robin. have remained behind on that plat.orm when the second train out and I prefer not steamed 10 contemplate which of us it would have been,
P
won approval from Lord As it was, Robin soon revived have again; and, since the Captain Horder. had had the forethought to send the Third Officer to meet us at Villa Constitucion, progress towards complete recovery was maintained,»
Thick skull
That was the last time he Robin as a patient, for I weat malaria down myself with shortly after we had sailed out of the Plate. I was treated and nursed by the Japanese steward
"That little Jap makes a first- rate doctor." I said with a note of wonder to the Third Officer when he came to visit me during my convalescence.
"Oh, yes. The Third nodded. he knows his stuff. He was once an orderly, I believe, in some Tukyo hospital."
"Then why on earth appointed ship's doctor?"
looked The Third
Was
Drawing by Kooiman
The captain was in a bad temper. "What's all this nonsense?" he demanded
* Give him salts..
·
sort of responsibility on board. He said it couldn't do much harm, so long as you never had I a proper patient,"
What about Robin?"
"Oh, Robin. We've been
What a doctor thinks of women LADIES, YOU APPAL ME
By Dr Bellamy Hobson
3
MAN is reasoning cates something very amiss with'
A beauty problem and are merely
the other band, proceeds by annoyed that your nylons don't intuition. That is the only t explanation for the extra- Few people, in my experience.
have a tougher life ordinary things you do.
than the young widow with a couple of Tommy's temperature is young children. To earn the 102. Any reasonable being Hving, run the home, get the would conclude he was too all the mother love she can is a kids, educated, and show thern hot. Not his mother. She herculean task.
shuts the window, lights the But why make it imposible fire, puts on an extra eider by magicing that she is invul-
nerable? down, takes his temperature
"Oh, I'm never 111. I an hour later and just can't inevitably, it is, disaster stares time to be!" Whey, understand why it has gone her in the face, Either she tries up to 103. By some extra to work while ill and col
collapses, ordinary mental process she The silly part of it is that there she packs up and goes broke.
thought he was chilled!
would have been, no trouble Your poor husband has a she had paid a few shillings tummy upset and can't stop werk into a sick club, which is being sick. What do you do? the first thing any man would You keep bringing food and do. Intuition told her tha urging it on him, telling him he ness was only for other people, must keep his strength up. and intuition let her down.
Women
are incapable
of
#-
Why is it that, when a woman har been trained to be a nurse,
logical thought. Between the d had the intuition kicked out
of her, she is ages of 49 and 50 whether, they competence; but ruve a cough, an ingrowing toe hasf, she nail, or hallucinations, their best dumb?
"Of course, it's friends all
when
Д miracle of she couldn't be more
No married woman would dream of
without cooking
four are dear
And they believe it! It never occurs to them to ask how their having a cookery book, but how age cou
could have anything to do my possess a manual of home
nursing? cm lumbered with that before, with it at all.
At any other age they put barrassed, "Well I shouldn't be Always coming the old soldier
down Lo the saying this, but well, you see, to try and dodge his turn. He their troubles
No, they rely on that fly- Old Man thought you'd just can't get it into his thick weather. If the whole family is blast verse: "What pain and the
with influenza down
anguish rack the brow, a minis-.
Ty Ministering angel,
and
with a competence that would like to--well feel you had some skull that we're not all pla happens to be very, 2018, 5 tering angel thou"
TICKET
ΤΟ
Murder at the Casino -third day of the Riviera thriller seriał
TROUBLE
By LEONARD MOSLEY
LOUISE FRASER, a young British actress attending Cannes Film Festival, is told to take a mysterious packet to "Jules," a young
man who will be playing "is the Casino at midnight... Cannes" proaching one in the morning. ERHAPS it is And I had a date with Jules in
the Casino for midnight. life or death it. I excused myself and went up
the self," the through
communicating Algerian carpet corridor to the Cannes Casino, ossed seller had said. And today handed over 300 francs and they I showed them my passport and Equator, I know what he means.
jet me pass through.
Faith in me as a healer seemed now to have been Anally diesi-
pated. Or so thoughi ertil
we'd
by T. E. B, CLARKE
T
8. CLARKE'S versatility as a scream writer im Impressively singved by nearly 20 films including *Passport in Pimlico. The Blue Lamp. and The Lavander Hill Mabreflects experiencs jus), at various. He has boon in mast jobs from newspaper reporter to policeman. Born In 1907, the second son of Sir Emmast Michael Clarke, "Tibby ** went to and Clare College. Charterhouse Cambridge. Now, he lives with his wite and two children at Oxted. Jurrey
of 34 men placed with apparent his confidence in
bands.
the
when I was
made unhap
"P
а
seen Have you ever pily aware that murdered woman? It did
Africa
came
it
But you will find Elsa in the you will
give the car-and- 'envelope to her."*
He was very pale, he looked very frightened, and his tone of voice was so urgent that I could up my chips and walked to the not help but obey him. I took cashier, and absent-mindediy stuffed the notes into my purse. I was only half-aware that was suddenly in possession of a good deal of money.
iş, retained
not occur to me that ALL the gambling tables were
A one loya
crowded. I saw the Dockers patient, Robin, would ever come within my playing at one table, the Begum .Doris This time the experience. I am 23 years Aga Khan at another..
old. 1 "have spent the last Day was having a mild Butter. big
Eut where was Jules, the Areman
five years of my life trying
for whom I was staggering to to discover how to be a good young man
looking? the surgery actress.
I glanced towards the roulette. with
hand
But how does a good actress table near the entrance to the pressed against behave when she is confronted bar and I saw him. He was
seated complaining
by the croupier, and he terrible feeling that looked very pale. I walked it may all have been my fault; slowly over to him and I knew the car, Yes, there was a woman
#
lower flank,
I immediately
began
shooting pains.
the no patients, and I wouldn't have
encyclopaedia cared much about their fate had Bunions, and I couldn't remem- things been otherwise, for I could be which side one's appendix nothing in my surgery to was on, I treated him again for
a fractured collar-bone. alleviate seasickness. And then,
Casino at midnight
down a
WALKED out of the Casin and on to the harbour front, searching for the car WPJ ·796. Don't hesitate," the young man had said. "Just at the table open the door and get inside, and there you will find Elsa.
Half-way up the dock I saw
ту tremulous between greans, of intolerable by, a body?
I have 1 For the first three days I had diagnosed, appendicitis, but as that if I had been on time, Elsa at once that this was the man in it. I knew by the silver sheen that it was the at might still be alive. I meant to with whom I had my rendez of her hair
be at the
the who had given me called "Messieurs, faites vos Elsa, asked me.
he put exactly, as the carpet seller had vous, for each time the croupier woman on the train, the woman red envelope. I opened the door of Jeux," But I am speedily discovering 1,000 franc plaque on the three the car and slipped inside,
I am tired of all this con- that no one at Aim festivals is and the five.
I took the ever on time; that no fim ever signal. starts when it is supposed to, went up to him, leaned over envelope and thrust it into her
t and said: *<I ara and sometimes never seeins
Louise hand. "Here is the key- Fraser.' I fumbled
in my wanted me to deliver. I don't finish at all....
to be troubled with handbag and was about to pull win."
the envelope containing the
Then I started
a bare hour after my first solid meal, I received a visit from a most important sufferer,
It was the Captain himself. He had developed a boil in an inaccessible spot; would I kindly deal with ?
ม
Destination
In writing my report of the case, I thought it prudent not
to mention my subsequent dis-
".
"out
That was
the
spiracy I I said,
It
to tremble
I
I have never prided myself on coverey that the brandy bottle TONIGHT was German right
key having
poker face. One was missing from the surgery, the Film Festival. The He was 3 good-looking, with terror. For the hand to glance at it, and the Captain's It had no doubt disappeared
of delegation
German stars bronzed young man; a typically which I had confided the eave rugged
registered a while I was busy dispensing the features
waited
until the last possible healthy South Coast Frenchman, lepe was cold. Elsa, when blend of compassion, contempt salty.
leaned against her, suddenly minute, then swept in under 1 thought. and sudden misgiving.
took their That night there was a Bght in the arc-lights and
Suddenly he looked up at me slumped against the side of the seats.
and saw panic in his eyes. He car. the fc'c'sle and as Robin was a
I went up the stairs to my pulled me down towards him, lending participant it seemed. clear that my medical know-seat with Peter Glenville. He so that his mouth was close to
the san of that famous
"Why ledge had again prevailed,
my car, and he said:
"Still haven't found those sea- legs? Never ming then. I'll see what the steward can do."
to
Another week
shelves.
then
THEN I looked at her I saw
principal boy, Dorothy Ward, did you come so late? At all WH the marks on her neck. I
lenville. He is a fine director Pretend to play at the table." and her husband Shaun costs do not talk to me now knew she was dead.
and I once bad a part in one of his plays.
of
We reached our destination, Off he went at some haste, Rosario, and
And, from the back of the discharged the leaving me to treat myself for coal we had brought out,
car, came a soft sound of some- mausen and shock with the began a slow journey back along
The German flm was one of E pushed some chips towards body breathing. I turned around brandy I had thoughtfully added the Plate picking up maize at
those heavy costume romances me. I took two of them and Swiftly and made to leave the the dusty bottles on the small river ports. With the that seems to go on and on, full placed them on No. 24, which is car. But a strong hand reached my fingers turgid my sister's birthday, and waited over and wrenched lovely scenes and When a
week passed without comforting knowledge that real doctors were now within easy
acting,
and the croupier shovelled away from the handle, Emother call on my services,
'Once more I have to ask! When it was over, we walked pile of chips towards me.
Miog Fraser" began hopefully to believe that call, I was able to relax-until
towards "Good Play then
said a the Captain found a new job for along the promenade
again," you report ot the Captain's
sald Ineptitude
young man, and I put familiar voice, to hand me had spread through- me.
the Casino. I did not everything I had been given on, over the Envelope It pro
One of the firemen had gone that it was so late, and proved false On our first day out adritt in Rosario. The police thought there would be no harm No. 17, which is the birthday of knew I was back with the from Madeira, I was suminoted had picked him up and relieved in going to the party, that the my dachshund dog. Once more shaven-haired young man with from my bunk with the news him of the few pesos he Germans were giving at the the croupier pushed a pile the cys-patch-the one who had attached to the towards me and gradually I tried to strangle me. The one one of the firemanan and left after his jag. Now it night
Had obviously already I was who began to enormous African with the un was necessary for a ship's officer Casino.
I danced with Peter Glenville
strangled Elsa.
the
ship.
my
club
ithert
Tikely sipped on an iron ladder Tastinctively, the moment I was from Anatole Lityak (he made Tow take your money and cash ning down to the engine TOOM
plcked, that it was Robin I that famous film The Snake it. And, then go out on to the "'. found Robin
Jying
should have on my hands again, pit you will remember). harbour wall and you will find
neme of Robin bad to go and collect him, I knew had took a drink of chinupagne ad the young man
the
لله
over
Ene threadbare couch in the surgery, groaning giteously while the Japanese steward
washed
"On no account let the felt like a great success, an English car with the number get near a drink," the Captain until I glanced at my watch adjured me as I lett,
and realised that it was ap
WPJ 798.1 cannot leave now because I am being watched.
poal dust from this bared torso,
NEXT WEEK: WATCH -OUT FOR NEW THRILLS-
mugs."
I didn't say so but it occurred to had something there,
visitatien
me that Robin ecnceivably arm winter, then the weather. Most of them deti't know & dr
WORLD COPYRIGHT - RESERVES,
DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?
YES
NO
Put your tiek in the space above and keep this pago until Monday. when answer will be given-with another story in this series by
Hesketh Pearson
Did yesterday's story... Death Played the Flirt, by Bernard Miles actually
Answar happen 7
- YES,
.30
sheet
is chic to
due to the
the east
foot. wind. If it happens to be a wet,
from a bedpan, asked to men give a blanket bath, they just gape. They wash thermometers
hot water and
wonder why break. they
is so unseasonable. Women al- ways could have it both ways.
When your child has carache. in it should be obvious that some thing is wrong with
very vital organ and it needs expert case, But no: "All children have ear- ache" and you stuff the hole, with a hot onion or pour down boiling, oil.
the
errit
They make arrowtect so thai spoon slands up ink 11. They keep a temperature chart. They think nursing means straightening up the bedclothes, making the mist room a hot house, and wondering why an Most of the time you don't invalid can't eat Irish stew, notice a ticking clock. Now and Ladies, you appel me. You then you do. Most of the time can't even tell me in simple you don't notice your heart beate largeuse weint language,
what
you are suffering “ ing-but if you do, what a scare from
it throws. Instead of being and say you have "stric" or reassured the thing is still tick- "internal catarrh." ing over, you rash to the doctor gafraid If will slop.
Yet if your ankles swell like piano legs, which surely indi-
I don't know what you mean,' and I'm quite sure that you don't. Why not give up this katuition and THINK?
ROLEX
The extraordinary accuracy of Rolex wrist-chronometers
is altested by the fact that over 250,000 Official Timing Certificates have been issued by Swiss Government Testing Stations three times as many as the rest of the Swiss watch industry combined.
ROLEX
landmark in the history of Time measurement.
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