Page:Devonshire Characters and Strange Events.djvu/899

Rh richest patients; and every one took his or her turn; no favour was shown to one who could pay above another who could not.

Dr. John Budd would attend at the workhouse, to see the sick there. One day the master said to him, "There is Jose here again. He pretends that he is doubled up with lumbago, or something of that sort. The fellow, I believe, is a malingerer; he hates work, and he loves to be in the infirmary and have extra rations."

"I'll deal with him," said Budd; and he was shown into the ward where Jose lay groaning and crying out.

"Where is it, man?" asked the Doctor.

"Oh, sir! cruel pains right across my body. I can't walk; I can scarce breathe. Oh! oh! oh!" and he began to howl.

"I must examine your back," said the Doctor. "You must be placed on the table and your spine bared."

So the moaning rascal was placed, face downwards, on the board, and his hands and feet tied. He did not like that; he said it hurt him "cruel bad." But it had to be done, and he was stripped to the waist.

"I'll try Game's Balls on him," said Dr. Budd. The fellow, looking out of the corners of his eyes, saw an apparatus introduced, a couple of iron balls like large bullets, with handles to them; then a spirit lamp was lighted, and the balls were heated in the flame.

"I think I feel easier, sir," said Jose, who did not relish the preparations.

"But we're going to make you quite well," said the medical practitioner; and flinging his leg across Jose's hams he sat astride on him, and signed to his assistant to hand him the heated balls.

With these he began to pound the patient in the small of the back. They were not red hot, but nearly