I could only hope it would not eventually become necessary to call
in a receiver. Then he spoke:
"Yes, yes-yes," he said; "yes-yes-yes! Operation required. Small
matter--hum, hum! Let's see--this is Tuesday? Quite so. Do it
Friday! Friday at"--he glanced toward a scribbled pad of engagement
dates at his elbow--"Friday at seven A. M. No, make it seven-fifteen.
Have important tumor case at seven. St. Germicide's Hospital.
You know the place--up on Umpty-umph Street. Go' day! Miss Whoziz,
call next visitor."
And before I realized that practically the whole affair had been
settled I was outside the consultation-room in a small private
hall, and the secretary was telling me further details would be
conveyed to me by mail. I went home in a dazed state. For the
first time I was beginning to learn something about an industry in
which heretofore I had never been interested. Especially was I
struck by the difference now revealed to me in the preliminary
stages of the surgeons' business as compared with their fellow
experts in the allied cutting trades--tailors, for instance, not
to mention barbers.
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