Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1885 — Modern Trial by Ordeal. [ARTICLE]

Modern Trial by Ordeal.

A gentleman who some years ago acted as a surgeon to several friendly societies in the county of Durham relates the following anecdote, which occurred between Jiim and one of his rusti& constituents. A member of an Odd Fellows’ lodge came one evening for advice at the fisual hour of consultation. The symptoms were duly detailed, and the surgeon prescribed a mixture which contained two grains of tartrate of antimony in eight ounces of water. The patient on arriving home

took a doee of his medicine, but was annoyed to find that it had so little taste, and that, moreover, it presented no solid material to be shaken up. On submitting the bottle to h.s wife she also, on tasting, pronounced it to be “nowt but wetter. ” He then took council with some of his brethren, who were not very favorably disposed toward the doctor, and, yielding to their advice, , entered a complaint to the lodge. In due time the doctor received from the Secretary a notice to attend and answer Brother Jones’ charge to the effect that he had been supplied with water instead of medicine. In reply to this notice, the surgeon asked the Secretary to intimate to the aggrieved brother that it would be necessary to have the medicine produced in order that he might Lave a fair chance of rebutting the charge. "When the night arrived, there w s a goodly attendance of members, and the lodge having been formally opened, Jones was asked to stand forth and prefer his charge against the doctor, which he did, alleging that the bottle produced was given to him for medicine, and contained nothing butwat;r. After he had finished his statement, the surgeon proclaimed to the meeting that if Jones was sincere in his belief that there was nothing but water in the bottle, he could have no objection to drinking the contents at one draught. The Chairman and brethren thought this a reasonable proposition, and put it to Jones aecordingly. Jones was evidently not quite prepared for this crucial test of his belief, but could see no way out of it. After a little hesitation he consented. The contents of the eightounce mixture were transferred to a tumbler, and he quaffied them off. The doctor then intimated to the Chairman that he might proceed with any other business, until the medicine had time to take effect. After the lapse of about an hour Jones began to exhibit signs of internal disturbance, and a basin was brought in for his convenience. It soon , became manifest to the brethren that there must have been something more than water in the mixture. The doctor submitted that he had effectually upset both Jones and his allegation, and quitted the lodge in triumph.— Chambers’ Journal.